


Akasaka Moon

by Noizchild



Category: Original Work
Genre: Baby, Death, F/M, Family, Gen, Healing Powers, Illness, Kitsune, Love, Murder, Nature, Prequel, Priest, Shinto, Twins, War, dark secrets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-23
Updated: 2015-11-22
Packaged: 2018-04-16 21:39:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 40
Words: 28,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4641114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Noizchild/pseuds/Noizchild
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>First "Ghost Doll" prequel. Focuses on how Kato met Eda Haruka and Juriko, how he became a priest, married, had a daughter, lost his family, and became involved in the Eda-Kimoto clan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Two Black Swans

**Author's Note:**

> Meet Kato Iwao.

Akasaka Moon

Two Black Swans

-Kato-

To better understand who I am, I'll have to tell you about the two girls that sent me on the path I am on today.

Their names were Eda Haruka and Juriko and I can't forget them if I tried. No words could describe their haunting beauty and be accurate about it. We all grew up in the same neighborhood, at the very end of the road to be specific. I did not know this until it was Christmas after the War. We all had a triangular bond going on back in the day. I felt like a pet serving two masters at once. They gave me their odd version of affections at certain times. Yet, I didn't care. I was happy to have the two pretty sisters notice me in this boring, rural neighborhood. Sometimes I wonder why we did not meet sooner. I saw them around once or twice in the rundown countryside village we lived in, but I didn't pay much attention to them. I had other things on my mind at the time, but I will get to that in a moment.

Back to Haruka and Juriko. They both looked so pretty, almost as much as the goddesses themselves. Many girls felt insecure about themselves when put next to the twins. We couldn't help but admit it: Juriko and Haruka were well-gifted in our neighborhood. One could say they looked like swans in human form. This turned out to be far from the truth. Foxes were a better animal to describe them both. The only things they were missing were the ears and tails. Even when I close my eyes I can see their beauty clearly. They both had lovely long midnight blue hair like delicate harp strings down to their waists. Juriko's laughter reminded me of flowing honey on a summer day. When she talked, beautiful music floated up to the Heavens. Haruka had her own beautiful traits as well. Her sharp tongue and wit were oddly appealing to the opposite sex. Their hands reminded me of swan's feathers. They always looked good in anything that they wore. Everyone took notice of swan-fox twins everywhere they went.

Yet, their beauty masked their truly cold nature. They knew that all too well. Juriko used her beauty and graces to her advantage with all of her admirers.

All of the boys loved Juriko. Many of them would ask her to be their girlfriend. Even I had a crush on her. Juriko had this weird sense of freedom that floated around her. Almost like one of the perfumes that she wore every day. That's one of the things about her that attracted boys to her. They always gave her many gifts. I found this out when I went in her room one day and saw the shrine of many toys, dresses, perfumes, make-up, cards, money purses, you name it; they gave it to her. It was like she was the local goddess in our village. Juriko, however, took them with such indifference. She used them for whatever she wanted. For her, if she could get boys to do anything she asked, that was perfect for her. But, she found me different.

I never had money to get her anything, but Juriko didn't seem to care. She kept me around whenever she wanted.

"She's only using you, you know," her sister, Haruka, told me often. I had that feeling, but I didn't care. Despite being just as beautiful as her sister, not many people noticed Haruka. She always stood in her sister's shadow. Haruka always looked angry about something. I had a good guess to what given her situation with Juriko. However, she acted as if it didn't bother her.

"I like being alone, thank you!" she snapped at me one day. "I can take care of myself!" Yet, I could see that she only wanted someone to notice her for one in her life. But, I noticed her. I always have.

"Why are you always angry?" I asked her constantly. Haruka refused to give me an answer.

"Why do you care so much?" she snapped at me on the summer of '47. I shrugged.

"Just cause. I want to get to know you both better," I said. Haruka snorted.

"You men are all the same!" she barked. "Once you meet Juriko, you all become her dogs to try and appease her. It's pathetic!" That may have been true, but it didn't stop me from following the twins around.

Why? Why did I stay around them? I was curious about them. How could two beautiful girls be so cruel and cold to everyone dear to them? What made them different from the other girls I had encountered in my life?

They had a long family secret, one that involved my grandmother. However, I wasn't aware of it at the time until years later in my early thirties.

One thing I couldn't understand in the beginning was why so many adults in our neighborhood feared those girls. The only thing I saw at such a young age was their beauty. As it turned out, it was the girls alone that the people feared. They belonged to a powerful fox clan. I can't really get too much into that for the time being. Juriko happily bragged about her heritage to all of the boys who would listen. They seemed fixed on every single one of her stories. I didn't really think much about them. For some reason, it all sounded like one myth piled on after another. Juriko's stories made me want to dig deeper into her and sister just to sort out fact from fiction.

I encountered these girls many times before 1950 and Haruka many years later. However, to better understand our relationship and the secrets that floated around these girls, I have to tell you more about myself.


	2. Bamboo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Information about Kato and how his mother is.

Bamboo

On September 11, 1934, I was born. As far as I could remember, it was just my mother, Yumi, and I. I remembered her as a strange woman in my childhood. Mother and I didn't really connect at all when I was growing up. She saw to all of my basic needs as a typical parent, but we just couldn't bond like a normal family. We didn't hate each other. The problem lay within her personality. I never could figure her out as a child. She didn't talk much about her past. In fact, she didn't talk much at all. My mother just kept to herself with her flowers in the living room. On occasion, I would hear her mumbling something. No matter how hard I listened, the words never made any sense to me.

"Mother," I asked one day when I was ten. She didn't look up from her dried irises. During the war, Mother had been buried in her ikebana. My guess was to keep what was left of her sanity. I still pressed on anyway.

"Why do you mumble to the flowers?" I asked. She still didn't look up at me. Her small, pale hands kept with their work. I didn't even think she had heard me. I took small steps over to her and leaned into the side of her face.

"Mother," I whispered this time. "Why do you always mumble to the flowers?" She still didn't reply. Her fingers passed over a dried deep violet petal to reach for the next flower. I knew she heard me that time. Maybe, I should try to get her attention. I clutched the dried irises in my hand.

"Mother," I called once more. "Why do you always mumble to the flowers? You stare at them so much. What are you saying to them?" This time, her hands paused. Her head slowly drew upwards to see me. I had never seen her wine-purple eyes look so hollow before in my life. It was as if she was possessed at that very moment. I swallowed my concern.

"Mother?" I asked. Suddenly, it seemed her whole being sprung back to life, and she blinked.

"Oh," she said. Her eyes turned back to me.

"Iwao-kun?" she asked. "Did you want something?" Frustrated, I shook my head.

"Never mind," I said. I walked out of the living room to my room. I never could understand my mother. She was always locked away in her own world. I gave up trying to understand her by the time Obon came around in '44. What was the point? I wasn't going to get anything out of her anyway. She's just going to stay locked away in her head with her flowers and the TV going in the background or the occasion LP player playing some old European composer until it ran silent.

That was what I originally thought anyway.

In the summer of '45, four months before the end of WWII, my mother made a strange announcement to me. I walked in from school that summer and had just planned on doing my homework, having dinner, taking a bath, and going to bed—just the normal routine really. I took off my shoes and went inside. I walked past my mother in the living room. Chopin was about to wrap up another song on the gramophone. This time, she was working with dried plum blossoms and chrysanthemums in the sand bed. I didn't even think she ate today. What did it matter? She's not going to respond anyway.

"I'm home," I said in vain. As expected, she didn't respond. Mother didn't even acknowledge that I was even here. I lowered my shoulders.  _Welcome home, Iwao-kun_ , I thought. Like that would make any difference. I walked past the open living room before I heard her pause.

"Iwao-kun," my mother spoke up. I paused and looked into the living room. She had her back to me, still arranging her dried plum blossoms and chrysanthemums in the sand bed. I noticed something a little different about her demeanor today. Mother sat up straight like wild bamboo. Her small pale hands weren't trembling over the petals.

"Mother, did something happen today?" I asked. Mother completely ignored my question as if she was talking to a stuffed doll.

"I think you should become a priest like your father was," she said out of the blue. That sentence took out all of the words from my eleven-year-old mind. First of all, she never talked about my father, not once. She never said anything good or bad about him. True my mother barely talked at all for all I knew, but my father was the last thing on my mind. Even more so, considering my father was never around most of my life. I didn't even remember him all that well. I did hear that he was a Shinto priest before the war. Like everything else about my Mother, I tried to ask her about him. As predicted, she wouldn't give me anything. So, I just gave up on asking her about him just like I did with everything else.

"Why?" I asked. She kept her back to me as she lowered her hands into her lap. I was completely turned towards the doorway.

"I just feel that it will do you some good in these times," she said. "Give our people something to truly hope for during this war. They are so sick of death and ruin."

"Papa was a priest?" I asked, blinking.

"Oh yes," my mother admitted. I could tell that she was smiling just by her tone of voice. "He was so good at his work. Many people always came to him for help or advice. In fact, he saved me." I stood completely in the doorway by this point.

"Save you…how?" I asked.

"Study for the priesthood, Iwao-kun!" she said with a push in her voice.

"I don't get it," I said as I raised an eyebrow. "How did Papa save you?"

"Do it for me," she pleaded. "Please." I felt myself getting frustrated again. She's not giving a straight answer as usual. The one time she gave me any information about my father and she went back to dodging my questions. I almost wanted to push her into telling me more, but I already knew how that's going to work out.

"What if I don't want to?" I asked with my arms folded across my chest. Her body tensed up from where she sat.

"Please think about it! At least do that. Please! For your father's memory and my sake! Please do this for me!" she pleaded, her voice almost crying now. I rolled my eyes as I breathed out and dropped my shoulders. Something told me that she wasn't going to let go of the idea and beat me over the head with it.

"Alright," I said, defeated. "I will think about it, but my answer is going to be no in the end." My mother turned around to me with eyes filled with life.

"Thank you, my son," she said as she bowed her head to me. I tried to force a smile. I don't know what I found more confusing—her request or the fact that this was the first time I had heard of my father in my life. What else was she holding out on me, and why? I had so many questions to ask her.

My family history had only started to unfold before me.


	3. Two Foxes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kato meets Juriko and Haruka on Christmas Day.

Two Foxes

I met Juriko and Haruka in Christmas of '45. We were all eleven at the time. I still have that day sketched out in my mind down to last detail. Christmas was one of those rare times that mother didn't work on ikebana so intently. She actually acted normal. I barely saw her smile, but when she does, I have to wonder if the world is ending for us. Okay, so she does act normal on my birthday too.

Now, I told you that to set the scene up for when I first met the twins on that Christmas Day.

I found my mother sitting in living room next to our Christmas tree. Again, I blinked to see if this was a dream or not. She gave me a genuine warm smile.

"Merry Christmas," she said. I blinked like I normally do every year. No, this was the right house. That was my mother sitting before me. She was sitting before me, smiling. Christmas was simple for us. She bought me prayer books and the standard gifts that any eleven-year-old boy would like. I smiled and thanked her for the presents. We ate breakfast in the living room: pickled plums and dumplings that she made by hand just like last year. I happened to look out the window that morning and notice that it was snowing. I couldn't help but smile.

"Mother, can I go out in the snow today?" I asked. My mother gave me a gracious smile.

"Don't stay out too long," she said. "I'm going to make you a special dinner today."

"Alright," I said. After I got dressed in my coat, hat, and boots, I was out the door. The snow lightly dusted the stairs to our door. The dying grass mingled with the white before me. The outside looked like a painting in the making. The snow hadn't gotten up to playing levels yet, but it screamed to be outside in it. I closed my eyes and took in a soft breath. I pictured how much better this would be when this neighborhood turned into a winter paradise. Early snow clears my head during the winter time. I held out my arms.

_I'm here!_  I heard a soft shuffle in front of me. I opened my eyes and looked up. Two girls stared at me from the broken fence across street. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't pull my eyes away from them. They had beautiful fox like faces to them. Their eyes looked at me as if they wanted hunt me down and eat me. Their smirks on their faces made my spine freeze up like glass in the freezer. Their red and black coats swallowed their little bodies but yet drew attention to them. I looked at them as if my head was glued into place. Who were these girls? Where did they come from? How long have they been watching me? Are they from around here? If so, where?

Before I knew it, I walked across the street to those fox twins. They still looked at me with no emotions and smirks on their faces. Pretty soon, I was within inches of them.

"Hi," I mumbled. When they didn't say a word, I stood stronger and drew in a mouthful of air.

"I live in that house over there," I said as I pointed behind me. Their faces didn't even change. I bit on my lower lip. As an eleven-year-old boy, I didn't really know how to talk to girls. There is talking to them and then there is  _talking_  to them. I wasn't prepared to "talk" to them yet. I dug into my eleven-year-old mind for something to say. One of the fox like twins smiled at me. I felt my body break in an invisible sweat. I wanted to fly into her mind and see what she was thinking right now. Her sister stared at me. Nothing urged her to say a word. She didn't even seem all too impressed with me. I couldn't be too sure, but I think time stopped at that moment. Even the snow stopped falling around me. The smiling fox twin tried to hold back a laugh.

"Oh really?" she asked. I nodded at her in a quick motion.

"Yes!" I said. She and her sister didn't speak at first. The smiling fox pushed some of her long midnight blue hair behind her right ear.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Iwao! Kato Iwao!" I said with a quick bow. The smiling fox giggled at me.

"Cute," she said. Her sister sighed and rolled her eyes. I noticed her face as I stood up straight. She looked away from me in the snow. I turned to the smiling fox.

"What's with her?" I asked. She just shrugged.

"My sister's always like that," the smiling fox said. "She's just a bitter soul." Her sister rolled her eyes again.

"You sure?" I asked.

"Yes, yes," the smiling fox told me. "Haruka's always been like this. She won't tell me why though." Haruka sneered at that comment. I couldn't help but to feel some pity for her.

"Okay, she's Haruka," I said. "But who are you?" The smiling fox's face looked rather full of herself.

"Juriko," she said. "Eda Haruka and Juriko." I smiled at them both.

"Nice to meet you both," I said. "You live around here?"

"We sure do," Juriko replied. "We live down the street, in fact." Her voice sounded so sweet and airy to my ears, almost like music to be exact. The etenraku couldn't match up to it. I could listen to her talk all day. I was convinced that she must have been created by the gods and a nice little gift for me on Christmas to boot. I felt my cheeks redden at that very thought. I came back to reality when I heard someone clear their throat at us. Juriko and I looked up to see Haruka glaring at us.

"I'm sorry, Haruka-chan, did you want something?" she asked. Haruka held up her bag and pointed at it. Juriko nodded.

"Oh! That's right" she said. That smiling fox turned back to me.

"Sorry, but we have to go," she said. "Haruka and I have to go pick up some things for dinner tonight." I turned and watched them walk away.

"Wait!" I cried. Both girls stopped and looked back. I shuffled my feet.

"Will I get to see you again?" I asked. Juriko gave me a little smirk.

"Maybe," she answered. The fox twins were gone and I was left standing there, blinking.  _What just happened…?_  I didn't really do much after that. Those twins had invaded my mind and prevented me from doing much else that day. The snow looked very nice though, it started to pile up on the ground, in fact. I might even get my winter paradise after all this year.  
I made it back in my house by dinner time. My mother sat in the living room with a little smile on her face.

"I'm home!" I said as I took off my black boots at the doorway.

"Welcome home," she said. "How was the snow?"

"Good," I replied. "I met a couple of cute girls today."

"Did you?" she asked.

"Yeah," I said. "They were pretty. They looked like a pair of kitsune girls in the snow. One of them looked rather angry, though. But her sister was really beautiful…" I paused when I noticed my mother's face. All of the color had drained into a corpse white. That was the first time that she had shown any intense emotion on her face. I will never forget that Christmas evening. I had never seen her with so much fear in her eyes before in my life. She even tried to avoid me for the rest of the year.


	4. Rice Paddy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kato's mother falls ill as she tells the truth about his grandmother.

Rice Paddy

I never understood mother before. We never talked to each other and she always kept her thoughts to herself. But ever since I met those twins, she's been acting stranger than ever. I was really worried about her in 1946. She had a fearful look in her eyes when she saw me. Her hands trembled in her lap. She hasn't really been eating or sleeping much either. She looked like a corpse by the time it was New Year's Day. My mother wandered around the house, but did not make any sort of eye contact with me. I had never seen her eyes look so hollow and dead before in my life. I almost want to poke her to see if she's still with me on this planet. Her mumbling has also gotten a worse. She sometimes bites her thumbs while doing so. I don't even think she's touched her flowers since before Christmas. Even those looked like they have more life in them than she did. I kept asking her what was wrong, but she would lock herself in her room just to avoid me.

One morning on winter break, I gathered up my courage and knocked on her door once again.

"Mother!" I called. "What's wrong? Did I disobey you somehow? I'm really sorry if I did!" I could hear her foot tapping against the tatami floor nervously on the other side.

"What's wrong?" I asked again. She responded with silence this time. I took slow steps backwards fearing that I wouldn't get answer just like yesterday. She hadn't even opened the door to get any of her meals that I left by the door. This looked like another bust for me, but then, the door opened up a crack. I looked and saw a golden-brown eye staring back at me. I nearly jumped at this change.

"Mother?" I asked. "What's wrong? Are you feeling okay? Did I do something wrong?"

"I don't want you to see these girls again!" she said in a whisper. I gave her a puzzled look.

"What? Why?" I asked.

"They will drag you down into their Hell!" she cried. "I don't want you to go through what I have seen!" I blinked at her, still lost.

"What are you talking about?" I asked. The door slid wide open and she fell straight to my feet. She grabbed onto my ankles as she panted. I could feel her trembling at my feet as drew her head upwards towards me. She looked as if she was about to cry before me. Something about this told me this was dead serious.

"Mother?" I called. She looked up at me with her lips trembling.

"Mama! Mama! Mama! Mama!" she cried over and over again. I put my hands on her shoulders in an attempt to calm her down.

"What about Grandma?" I asked.

"Their family dragged her in!" Mother blurted out in a high-pitched wail. Despite my words trailing off into the nothingness, my eyes had many questions for her. She sat up back onto her knees.

"Oh dear," she said. "Oh dear, I've said too much." I still couldn't think of anything to say. My mother bit her lower lip.

"Iwao-kun," she mumbled as she looked down at her lap. "Promise that you won't panic after I tell you this story." I blinked. She squeezed my ankles even tighter.

"Promise me!" she cried. "Promise me, damn it! Promise me!" I shrugged a little bit at her.

"Alright," I said. "I'll stay calm. Just, what's going on with you? Why should I avoid them?"

"Years ago, your grandmother ran away from home when she was only sixteen," Mother began in a steady voice. "After six weeks, she wandered around the woods, half-naked and starving. By sundown on one summer day, she wished for death or someone to take her away."

"And someone took her away?" I asked. My mother pressed her lips together.

"He came and took her away," she said.

"He?" I asked. "Who?" Mother opened her mouth to speak, but froze in place. Her body broke down into trembling again. My eyes widened at her open mouth and hands grabbing my ankles to the point that her nails started to dig in.

"Mother?" I asked. "Mother, what's wrong?" She suddenly let go of my ankles and grabbed onto her head.

"Mother?"

"Ahhh!" she cried. "My head! It's aching!"

"Mother?" I asked again. She crowded into a ball while she cried out in pain.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" she cried whimpering in pain. I reached out to touch her on the shoulder.

"Go away!" she said. I drew back my hand and my face grew pale.

"Mother…" I mumbled.

"Get… help…" she whimpered. "Go! GO!" I raced out of the house into the snow to the doctor's house down the street. I pounded on the door along with my beating heart.

"Doctor Akai!" I cried. "Doctor Akai! Help! My mother's in serious pain! Come help!" I backed up when the door slid open. The old village doctor straightened up his black glasses as he rubbed his eyes. He was the rock of our village at the time. Everyone always came to him for anything. Whether it was a health issue or personal advice, Doctor Akai always helped out.

"What do you want, boy?" he asked. "This better be good from waking me up from a good nap!"

"It's my mother!" I yelled. "She's in serious pain!" The old man really woke up this time and paused at my words. His eyes opened wide as he rushed right past me to my house. I raced after him in confusion.

"Wait for me!" I cried. I left deep foot prints in my wake. Doctor Akai stayed in my mother's room for about twenty minutes. I listened to them through the door. They spoke in hushed tones as I tried to make out what they were saying.

"It's starting again," I heard her whisper. "I don't know how to keep him away from them. I knew this occur really soon, but I didn't want it to." I heard her break down into sobs. "I'm scared. I don't know what to do."

"Shhh," the doctor whispered. "You rest now. Take your time with telling him the truth."

"But he's too young!" she whimpered. "I don't know how he'll take it." I couldn't hear the rest of it, but I had a guess that they were talking about Eda Juriko and Haruka. Why didn't she want me to see them again? What made her break down like that, and what about grandma Mimiko?

From that point on, I decided to find out as much as I could about those fox twins. My mission took me five years onto the thin line between light and darkness. It would take me longer to try and crawl back to the closest thing called light.


	5. Grasshoppers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the spring comes curiosity.

Spring

_April 10th, 1946._

Grasshoppers

Juriko and Haruka confused me so much in those five years I knew them. The former was stuck in my head deeper than any knife. Many boys tried to do anything to get her to notice them at least once, but Juriko never showed a single shred of interest in them. I learned pretty quickly that I was the only one she had her nails deep into his heart. She would occasionally show a little affection towards me, but never further than a kiss on the cheek. I couldn't understand what she saw in me in the first place. Haruka took joy in reminding me of this.

"She's never going to love you," she said many times. "You're just going to be her dog until she gets bored with you." I took to jealousy at first, but she never would stop saying it.

"Why is that?" I asked one day in March 1946 as we were walking home from school. Haruka didn't even look up at me.

"She has no heart," her sister said without missing a beat. "I know because I have no heart as well. We all have no real heart."

"Aw, what are you talking about?" I asked, thinking that she was just messing with me. Haruka gave me the first smile that I had ever seen her give. I stared at her as my spine caved into trembling. Something in the way she smiled frightened me at the time. I couldn't figure it out why. I felt like I was looking at the devil's open mouth.

"We all are like that," she said. "Mother, Juriko, all of the women in my family, and I have no hearts. We are just monsters. We use the people that love us. We make them fall in love with us and then we use them until they have nothing left to give us. We are all just parasites." I tried to laugh it off.

"Oh come on, you're just kidding, right?" I brushed off. "Right?" Haruka kept her creepy smile and I shut my mouth. Despite the fear, my curiosity danced in laps around my head. I had to find out more about them.


	6. Willow Trees

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kato has many thoughts on his mind while trying to get away from his mother.

Willow Trees

I found myself trying to escape Mother's constant worried looks and turned to nature. The trees in particular soothed my young mind. Who couldn't love them? They provided shade and a good hiding place. Sometimes, they can feed you with its fruit. Yes, the gods were in a good mood when they created trees. Willow trees are the best for my situation. They seemed so sad, but so peaceful at the same time. They reminded me of Mother on her good days.

I lay on the soggy moss and tried to sleep. However, everything sprung back into my mind. First were the fox twins. Four months and still couldn't figure them out. Their beauty only confused me even more. What did Haruka mean when she said that Juriko and their family didn't have hearts? She said that they used people up until they had nothing left to give them. I hoped that this was all just a bad joke to try and spook me out.

But yet, I knew about the legend of kitsune. Sometimes they took form of beautiful women to seduce a lover into bed with them just to feed off their energy. Every time I see them, I kept thinking one of them would try to drain everything out of me and leave my body for the crows to bicker over who would get the first taste among them. I knew that I should stay away from them, but it's not that easy. What was it about the twins that kept me coming back to them? Why do I keep having a sense of fear and excitement around them?

There was Grandma Mimiko to think about. She died years before I was born. Mother barely talked about her until recently. I have only seen one picture of Grandma Mimiko when she was just a baby. I used to not think so much about her, but now I wanted to know all that there is about that old woman. What role did she have with the twins? Who found her all of those years ago? Why wasn't there much about her? Why did Mother seize up in pain when she talked about her?

Speaking of my mother, what was she hiding? What was it about the twins that scared her so much? Where was papa and why didn't she talk about him? Why was she scared of me all of a sudden? And was it the reason why she's been acting so strangely all of these years?

I shook my head as I tightly shut my eyes. I couldn't get away from it. Each time I tried, they all kept getting stronger in my head. Still, I didn't stop my quest. I probably should have, but by that time I didn't know how. Or maybe I did and I just didn't want to for the thrill of it all.


	7. River

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kato encounters the twins again.

River

I kept running into the fox twins every day. I saw them in my thoughts and dreams and couldn't understand why. They kept appearing and I didn't know how to stop it. I had no idea how they managed to find me. They just did. I didn't really know how I felt about that. Part of me wanted to see them, but I wanted to run from them. Neither side ever won. I would be leaving my house when they would spot me walking down the road. It's almost as though they could sense me coming.

"Hello Iwao-kun," Juriko always greets me. I automatically straightened up and my cheeks turned bright red.

"Hello Juriko, Haruka!" I yelped. Juriko giggled as Haruka rolled her eyes. Both sisters were weird. Juriko always got a kick out of me while her sister looked at me with venom in her eyes. I felt like some sort of toy for them to play with for their own twisted amusement. No, it's something more. It was almost like I'm part of some strange game that I had no idea I was playing. No rules, no path, just thrown into the middle and having to try and work from there. I tried to smile and play along with it. I doubted that I'm ever going to win and something told me that they wouldn't let me.

I kept trying to get Haruka smile in a nice, normal way. Instinct told me to give up, but I hadn't learned how to listen at the time. She's like my mother, only much scarier. It's not just the sight of them either.

Juriko always wore some sort of expensive Parisian perfume. I can't remember what it was called to this days. I don't even know how she got such a pricey gift, but the smell always drew me in. That perfume coated her nape, hair, and clothes. Juriko's gold earrings pushed the deal harder on me. She always tried to look older than she was. Haruka held her own simply by looking pretty. I always got the feeling that she was trying to make herself look ugly to those around her. I hated to tell her, but she failed poorly. Despite her venom, I kept trying to get inside her head and break her down. Haruka did everything in her power to turn me away, but I kept pushing further and further into the game that they had pulled me in.

I don't know, I just liked the attention they were giving in their own ways.


	8. Fields

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iwao tries to learn more about Haruka.

Fields

"Juriko-chan, what does Haruka-chan like?" I asked one hot spring day after school. I was running out of ways to get closer to that ice queen. I figured I would go to the source and ask Juriko for help. She gave me a funny look.

"What?" she asked.

"What does Haruka-chan like?" I asked.

"Why?"

I shrugged at her under my willow tree. "I don't know. I just thought I would get her a gift or something. She always looks angry at the world." She didn't speak for a good thirty seconds. I noticed her trying not to laugh. I blinked with a blank look on my face. I still didn't get why she liked doing that to me so much.

"What?" I asked.

Juriko's giggles slipped out of her mouth. "You want to get Haruka a gift?"

"Well yeah, maybe, I don't know."

"Why do you want to get my sister a gift?"

"I don't know."

"Don't bother," Juriko said without missing a beat. I blinked as I sat up. Okay, I hadn't really counted on her to say that just yet. She usually tries to play around with my head longer than that before giving an answer. She must be up to something.

"What? Why?" I asked.

"She doesn't like those sorts of things," Juriko said.

"Why?" I asked. She twirled her long midnight blue hair in her dainty pale fingers as she grinned. I wanted to smell it again so badly. Damn her for teasing me! Damn her!

"Haruka… has never really liked cute or sweet things," she said. I still didn't get where this could be going. She always made me look like a fool at the end of the day. I should've caught on by now, right?

"Then… what does she like?" I asked.

Juriko leaned within inches of my face. "That, is one thing you'll have to find out on your own." She tapped me on the tip of my nose. I stared at her with blank eyes.  _Uh… What just happened?_

Juriko kept getting stranger to me. She changed the rules in this three-way game that we played. Just when I thought I'm got her figured out, she threw in another twist to my quest. It's as if she knew what I was doing and she refused to let me get close. I played into her charm and games.

Yet for reasons I couldn't grasp at the time that made the hunt for the truth of everything even more appealing. I guess I kind of wanted what I could not have in a sense. Maybe, it was something deeper that the three of us had yet to see. Even then, I didn't know how to turn back even if I wanted to.


	9. Sky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kato tries to talk to Haruka again and she turns him down.

Sky

I followed Haruka around just figure her out. She tried to ignore me at first. Now that I think about it, she did look a little cute when she's angry. Just like her sister, I couldn't help but focus my attention on her. The fact that she always looked pissed off made her more interesting. What was she so angry at all of the time, besides the fact that Juriko gets all the attention? I took it upon myself to find out why.

Every time she saw me, Haruka gritted her teeth and clenched her fists to keep from screaming or hitting me. I think she wanted to punch me. I don't have a clue what held her back. I mean, I didn't want to be punched, but I want her to do something. I know that sounded weird, but I blame them for doing this to me. My thoughts got jumbled up every time we crossed paths. I guess it's because of the kitsune curse. I didn't want to think that they could be feeding off of my sanity at the time. It could be possible, that's how freaky it was. Haruka's anger made things worse for me. Juriko didn't help either with her giggling and smiles.

"You're not going to get anywhere with her," she told me. "She doesn't like sweet things or affection."

"But why?" I asked. Juriko gave me a cute little shrug.

"She doesn't."

"But why?"

"She's just that type of person." Okay, this wasn't going anywhere once again. I decided to go for the other tactic.

"Well then, what does she like?" I asked. Juriko smiled and shook her head.

"You're going to have to figure that one out on your own," she said. Any sane person would've given up at that point. However, I didn't stop trying. I followed Haruka around just attempting to break her down and figuring her out. She on the other hand, couldn't take it any longer. This chase went on for weeks.

Finally one day after school, Haruka turned around to me with the look of the devil in her eyes.

"Look!" she snapped. "Why you hell do you keep following me around?!" I smiled as I shrugged.

"I just want to get to know you," I said.

"Why?"

"Just cause…" Haruka rolled her eyes as I frowned.

"Oh come on. I just want to be close to you," I said.

"Heh!" she snorted.

"What do you mean, 'heh'?"

"Men are just dogs!"

"What do you mean?"

"When it's not wanting sex, you try to do anything that will have us girls under your power! I don't want that!" I blinked.

"Well, what do you want?"

Haruka snorted as threw back her deep midnight blue hair. "Freedom."

"Freedom from what?"

"Idiots like you!" Haruka stormed past me. A rush of spring wind blew over my head.


	10. Cranes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kato tries to talk to Juriko again.

Cranes

As expected, Juriko laughed at me when I told her the whole story.

“I told you,” she said. My face turned a bright red as I clenched my fists.

“That’s not funny!” I yelled in front of our school. Juriko laughed louder. Her sweet voice made my ears burn. She found pleasure in making me look like an idiot. I could’ve walked away, but I didn’t. My need to impress them completely took over my eleven-year-old brain. Juriko shrugged.

“What were you expecting?” she asked. “Haruka wants to be alone. She has always been like that.” She noticed my defeated, pouting face. “Aw, come on! So you struck out with her this time. You can still get close to her.” My eyes grew wide.

“How?” I asked. Juriko leaned into my ear. Her cool breath made my knees tremble. My heart jumped all the way to my throat. The scent of her hair made my mind do laps in my skull. I could feel her smiling inches from my skin.

“Keep looking,” she whispered in a flirty, husky voice. “The answer might be right in front of you and you don’t even see it right now.” My eyes trailed over to her snowy pale cheek.

“Why can’t you ever give me a straight answer?” I asked her, frowning.

“Where’s the fun in that?” she whispered. Juriko gave me a small lick on my ear. I didn’t know a girl like her could make my whole body go stiff. I think I felt myself get warm in the lower region of my body. I didn’t get time to look down before I turned and she was gone again. There she went again with the mind games.


	11. Cherry Blossoms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As his mother sleeps, Iwao tries to talk to Akai-sensei about the twins, but gives an unexpected reaction instead.

Cherry Blossoms

That evening, I watched Mother sleep in her futon. She looked like a little girl sound asleep before me. She was only missing a teddy bear or a rag doll. For some reason, nights like this gave me a sense of calm that was far beyond my understanding. She couldn't look at me with those worried eyes of hers. She went to sleep like a little baby. The doctor prescribed sleeping pills on New Year's due to the pain preventing her from sleeping.

"Just make sure she takes these every night," he instructed me as he was leaving my house. "It's not much, but this should help for the time being." I kept my eyes to the ground as I let the words come tumbling out of my mouth.

"I don't understand," I spoke up. I heard Doctor Akai paused inches away from me.

"Understand what?" he asked. I jerked my head upwards.

"Why is she like this? She keeps trying to tell me something, but the pain always gets in the way."

"You shouldn't push too far."

"What's so desperate that she has to risk the pain to try and tell me every chance that she gets?"

"That's enough, Iwao-kun!"

"She told me to stay away from the Eda twins. She never told me why. I can't understand why she's so afraid of them. I believe they aren't dangerous or anything, right?"

The color drained from the doctor's face. "What did you say?"

"Mother told me to stay away from the Eda twins and I don't know why," Doctor Akai rushed forward and grabbed me by the shoulders. My mind and whole body went into shock as he shook me back and forward.

"Stay away from those girls!" he shouted into my face.

"Why?!" I cried.

"They are of the devil! Stay away from them! They will drag you into hell! Run away from them while you still can!" I trembled as I broke down into tears.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" The doctor calmed down and let me go.

"I'm so sorry about that," he said. "I didn't intend to frighten you like that." I stepped back and took heavily breaths as I stared with a nervous fear in my eyes. I couldn't even bring myself to speak. Doctor Akari took a minute to recompose himself.

"As for your mother's pain and why she doesn't want you near the twins," he spoke in a civil voice. "You'll have to ask her when she gets better." My senses rebuilt itself long enough for me to talk.

"When will that be?" I asked. He placed his hand on my shoulder.

"I can't really give you a proper answer," he said. "Give her the pills for the time being." I lowered my eyes to the ground.

"Yes sir," I mumbled.

"Very good," he said. Doctor Akai removed his hand from my shoulder and turned to leave again.

"Good night," he said over his shoulder. I stood in silence as I watched his back disappear into the distance. I looked down at the small white bottle in my hand. This could help her, huh? I dropped my shoulders. Doesn't hurt to give it a try, does it? To my relief, the pills were working.

It's funny, really. When she's awake, everything was intense. I kept feeling that something is going to break between us. She could be the one to break it. I could be the one to break it. I almost didn't want to play that game with her. My mother had suffered enough as it is. I didn't want to build onto it while she's awake.

But when she was sleeping, I felt like I am in the eye of the storm. There was no accusatory looks my way. No trembling in her hands as she sat in the living room staring out into space. No violent pain that attacked her so that she couldn't try and tell me what she has to say. It's all just calm and she looked like a little kitten in her futon.

I reached forward and pushed some of her deep plum hair out of her face as she slept. She aches to tell me something so badly. I wondered what it was. It felt like the pain was some sort of a curse that's kept her from talking. Then again, I could be overanalyzing things because of my encounters with Haruka and Juriko. Why did my mother and Doctor Akai hate them so much?

"Iwao-kun…" I heard my mother mumble. I looked down. She was still sound asleep in front of me. Her hands gripped her pillow.

"Hm?" I asked. "I'm here, mother. I'm right here." I leaned in for a listen. I put my hand on her shoulder. It was strange that she felt so warm. She didn't speak. I wondered if I hallucinated it the whole time.

"Don't pull me back in," Mother mumbled as she trembled in her sleep. "I can't go back to them. I can't go back to them. I can't go back to them!" I pulled back with a puzzled face. What did she mean by that? Go back to who? The questions all began to slowly close in around me. I didn't see it right away.


	12. Hills

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kato's mother tries to talk to him at three in the morning.

Hills

There were times when I woke up in the early morning before the sun rises. I lay there on my futon, staring at the ceiling. I didn't know why I do this. Maybe I was trying to erase everything from my mind. Maybe I was trying to think of something new. The answer had yet to come to me.

I lay there and floated away in my head.

Suddenly, my bedroom door slid open. I looked up and see my Mother staring at me with big eyes. I didn't know if another storm was coming or not.

"Mother?" I asked. She stood there looking as stable as she let herself appear to be. I think her medication was wearing off. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Her hand trembled as she gripped on the door frame. I blinked.

"Mother, it's three in the morning. What's wrong?" I asked. She tried to speak again, but her voice cracked into squeaks. It's as if she learning how to talk, but can't quite get it. The words were just stuck in her mouth. I sat up on my futon.

"Talk to me," I said in a calm voice. "What do you want? Is it what you tried to tell me months back? What is on your mind? I can't help you if you won't talk to me." She drew her mouth closed. I watched as her hand let go of the frame. As if in a daze, she walked forward to my futon. Mother collapsed onto the futon and broke down into tears. She wailed aloud against my damp, cotton sheets. The cloth muzzled her cries, but I knew that she was torn up so badly from the inside and didn't know how to fix herself. All she could do was struggle with everything until something did manage to come out. I reached forward and put my hand to her head.

"Shhh, it's okay now," I whispered. "You're here with me now. Just take your time with the truth." My mother continued weeping. She really wanted to tell me something. I wished I could figure out what.


	13. Birds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kato's mother becomes sicker.

Birds

My Mother didn't talk anymore. Not the typical odd behavior she displayed around her flowers, she just stopped talking completely. It was as if my mother completely shut down on me and retreated into herself for safety. It scared me. She could barely hold her cup or chopsticks properly without trembling. I missed the mumbling over her flowers. I could at least hear her voice. This wasn't working for me at all, but I didn't know how to help her.

Right after Christmas, my mother stopped sleeping. She would sit there in the living room out in her daze, unresponsive. She wasn't eating or moving. Afraid for her health, I walked down the road in the snow to the doctor's house. I peeked in the window to see if he was sleeping or drinking. I wiped the glass, but I couldn't get a clear view. He had the window covered with rice paper at the time to keep out the heat and cold in his house. I moved back over to the door and gave it a hard knock.

"Coming!" a voice grumbled. I paced around before the door slid open.  _Come on! Come on! Mother needs you now!_  I looked up at him with big eyes.

"Hi…" I mumbled. Doctor Akai rolled his eyes.

"Is it your mom again?" the doctor asked. "What is it now?"

"She hasn't been sleeping or eating," I said. "I'm really worried about her. Please help me!" Doctor Akai didn't speak, he raced past me down the road. I ran after him like his shadow. For an old man, he can sure move fast.

The appointment didn't take long. He talked to her for like ten minutes, gave her a sleeping remedy, and left. She's been a little better ever since. Mother took her medication every night and goes to bed. She was eating a little bit more within a month, but she still wanted to tell me something. I could see it in her eyes when she stared at me. She fought with herself, but the words refused to come out.

"I'll be ready when you can tell me the truth," I whispered to her one day. She didn't respond in the living room. I kissed her on the head and left for school. Mother will say something when she is ready.


	14. Spring to Summer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Running out of ways to help his mother and get to know Haruka, Kato decides to make big change to his life.

Spring to Summer

I was running out of ways to help my Mother and get through to Haruka. The former's health and mental condition saw no sign of improving anytime soon and the latter still seemed to hate my guts with each passing day. Juriko sat proud and mockingly in the middle while not being much help to me with her laughter and teasing. The three of them were starting to run my sanity downhill. I was going out of my little eleven-year-old mind by that point. Why did women have to be difficult? I decided it was time to turn to some back-up.

"They just are," Doctor Akai told me after I asked him in May before he went home for the day.

"But why?" I asked. He shrugged.

"If the gods had intended us to know, we would have figured it out a long time ago," the doctor replied. "Good day." He picked up his empty bottle of sake and headed down the road. I blinked as I watched him walk away.

"Okay…" I mumbled as I waved goodbye. There were times when the good doctor misses the mark completely. That was one of them, I hate to say. I came to ask him for help and he didn't have the answer that would help me fix two-thirds of my female problems. I sighed and dropped my shoulders as I took a seat on the grass. My attention turned back to the sky.  _Now what?_

The idea I had been putting off came to me as the inevitable at this point. I didn't really want to do this, but what else could I do? If I couldn't get through to Haruka or figure her and Juriko out, then I could at least help my Mother out of her silent spell. I doubted it will do any good, but I didn't have anything going on for me. I sighed and rolled my eyes.

_Well, I might as well suck it up and give it a shot_ , I thought. But should I tell her now or surprise her with the news? I mulled that question over in my head for a before exhaling what was left of my rationalization that I had at eleven years old. I decided to wait until Mother was relatively in the right state of mind again. Emphasis on the word, relatively. I sighed as I rolled my shoulders around. I got up and went inside the house for dinner.

On June first, 1946, I began my training to become a Shinto priest.


	15. Summer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summer comes in and Kato tells his mother that he is becoming a priest.

Summer

_June 1, 1947._

Cicadas

Training to be a priest was hard. I learned that right off the bat on the first day. There was all of that reading, the meditation and silence. I couldn't make myself stay still and quiet for a long time. My teachers rarely even smiled. They were old men and they didn't even seem happy to be there. I lay back on the tatami mats.  _What was I thinking?_  But, I managed to survive for a year, so that should say something. Right? Somehow I was able to keep a poker face and take it all with a strong backbone. That really must say something about my sanity or rather lack thereof. At least, I got a little reaction from my Mother.

"Mother," I said that evening I made my decision. "I will train to become a priest." She didn't speak, but I noticed that her lips were twitching in the darkened living room.

"Are you… smiling?" I asked. Her lips started twitching harder. I stood back with a little smile.

"Ah! You are!" I said. It wasn't much, but at least I got a reaction from her. Maybe this plan could be what will help my Mother after all. I just needed to keep my plan up and maybe everything will go back to the way things were before I met the twins. Okay, I should take it one plan at a time. I already had the current plan that I could work on with the priest training. Now, I just had to get her to tell me what she wanted to say. That was going to more work. How much more, I had no idea.


	16. Moss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Juriko becomes more attractive as she grows up and uses it all to her advantage.

Moss

That year had been much quieter for me. I have been too busy with school and my priest studies to have a social life. My Mother hadn't been having so many fits as she had in two years. She still neglected her ikebana, but there was no looks of terror or trembling. She sat in front of the TV in silence. I kissed her on the cheek and went off to do my studies in my room. We didn't talk like last year. It's a little bit better, but it still made me nervous. I would still love to hear her voice once more, even if she was talking to her flowers.

Things had not changed between me and the twins. Haruka still gave me icy looks while Juriko mocked me. I couldn't avoid them with their charm and twisted mind games. Speaking of which, the latter had gotten more popular of the summer. Even the male teachers had to take a second look at her. More and more boys in our neighborhood really took notice of her. Pretty soon, they wanted to do things for her. Juriko took it all in and used the attention to her advantage.

"Men are sheep," she told me as she fanned herself with a paper fan that a boy in our class made for her. "They will do anything for a girl."

"What about me?" I asked at my desk in the classroom.

Juriko looked at me as she twirled her hair in her fingers. "What about you?"

"Am I a sheep?" I asked in a small voice as she batted her eyelashes.

She nodded without a thought. "Yes."

I blinked with over another blank stare. "Why?"

"You're still trying to get close to my sister. That's what makes you a sheep," Juriko explained without missing a beat.

"But… I just want to make her smile. Is that wrong?" I asked, child-like.

"I didn't say it was wrong," she said with a fake sweetness.

"You made it sound like it was."

"Did I?"

"Well, yes…"

"Do you think it is?"

"Uh… well…" I looked away from her.

"Is it?"

I bit my lower lip. "I don't know…"

Juriko smiled as she shook her head and lightly tapped me on the nose. "You poor soul." I stared at her as she pouted.

"What's the matter, Iwao-kun?" she asked. I sighed aloud.

"Why do you do this to me?" I asked.

"Do what?"

"Play these mind games with me."

"Do I?" she asked as she showed me her pretty painted nails.

"Yes! Now why?" I wailed. Juriko giggled. I frowned as I didn't enjoy where this could possibly go. She looked at me with those sweet amber eyes as she stroked my dark brown hair and cheek.

"Because, you're just that fun to mess with," she said. I stared at her with blank eyes. She did it again. It was times like these that I wished she wasn't so pretty.


	17. Sunflowers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kato tries to talk to Dr. Akai again, but to no avail.

Sunflowers

I waited outside my Mother's bedroom. Doctor Akai walked out ten minutes later. I looked up at him after he closed the door after him.

"How is she?" I asked.

"Good," he said. "Just get her to keep taking her medication every night and she'll go back to normal. I tried to smile.  _He has no real idea of what her "normal" is._  I thought about telling him that, but really, what would be the point? He turned to leave when I looked up at the old doctor.

"Doctor Akai," I spoke up. He looked over his shoulder.

"What is it, boy?" he asked. I shrugged my shoulders. The older man breathed hard.

"Speak, boy! I haven't got all day!" he snapped. I swallowed hard and shut my eyes.

"I want to understand girls!" I blurted out. He turned and looked at me with a puzzled look.

"Is that all?" he asked.

"Yes!" I said with a red face. Doctor Akai didn't speak, but then I opened my eyes when I heard him laughing at me. His beard bounced with each laugh. I tilted my head, blinking. Juriko laughing at me was one thing, but hearing the doctor laughing at me felt wrong on so many levels.

"What?" I asked. He shook his head, smiling as he patted me on the shoulder.

"Oh, you poor kid," the doctor said. "You have a long ways to go before you can even begin to think that you understand them!" I blinked at him.

"What do you mean?" I asked. Doctor Akai tried not to laugh at me again.

"We will have this talk again so time later," he said. "But right now, I have to go. I've got three more patients to visit today. I'll be back to check on your mother next week." That old snake just walked out the door. I blinked for what felt like the longest time in my life.

"Huh?" I asked. We never did get have that conversation. He just avoided me with work, drinking, and his studies. He knew how to avoid awkward conversations.


	18. Sparrow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Juriko tests out Kato's powers while he studies to be a priest.

Sparrow

"Iwao-kun," Juriko spoke up as she stretched in the woods. I poked a beetle walking across the dirt with my pinky finger.

"Hm?" I asked, not looking up.

"You're studying to be a priest, right?"

"That's right, what about it?"

"For how long?"

"A year now, why do you ask?" I replied.

"Can you bring things back from the dead?" she asked. I looked up at her.

"What?" I asked. Juriko shrugged.

"I mean, haven't you thought about it, at least once?" she asked. I shook my head.

"I don't even think that's possible…" I mumbled.

"Well, have you even tried it?" she asked. I slowly shook my head.

"Can't say I have," I said. Before I knew it, Juriko's face was inches from mine. I nearly fell backwards.

"Oh crap!" I gasped. Juriko giggled.

"Then try it!" she said. I blinked.

"Try what?"

"Bringing something back to life."

"How?" I asked. She shrugged.

"I don't know," she said. "You'll think of something."

"Okay, but what?" I asked. "How do you want me to do this? What do you want me to bring back?" Juriko sighed as she rolled her eyes.

"I swear," she mumbled. "Do I have to do everything for you around here?"  _Sorry, Megami-sama_ , I thought in sarcasm. Juriko threw up her hands.

"Alright," she said. "I'll help you this once. Hang on." The fox girl looked around in the sky for a target. I looked with her. We finally spotted a little sparrow flying happily in the sky, minding its own business. My eyes stayed fixed on the little bird.

"Perfect," I heard Juriko mumble. I only got a quick glance at her.

"Huh?" I asked. She threw a needle at the little bird's chest. The sparrow fell straight to the ground. My eyes widened as my jaw dropped.

"Juriko-chan! Why did you…?" I cried. She held out a graceful hand.

"Shut up and go heal him," she said. I pressed my lips together.

"Yes," I said, sighing. I got up and walked over to the sparrow. The poor soul lied there dead with the wind blowing on its feathers. I couldn't help but to feel sorry for it. One minute, it was flying around, enjoying the warm summer air and the next, it was dead at my feet. My heart ached to think about it.

"What are you waiting for?" Juriko yelled at me. "Do it!" I sighed as I lowered my shoulders.

"Alright," I said. I turned back to the bird and sank down on my knees before it. I held out my hand and shut my eyes. I drew up a picture of that little sparrow happily flying in the sky once again. That thought ran through my mind. I didn't know how long I did this, but I opened my eyes when I heard chirping. I looked up and saw that little sparrow flying once again in the sky. I had to admit, a little smile came across my face at my results. Juriko stood next to me.

"Well done," she said.

"Yeah," I agreed. The fox turned to leave. I looked up, confused.

"Huh? Where are you going?" I asked.

"Home, you coming?" she said. I nodded once the message sank in.

"Right," I replied. I got up and followed after her. Sadly, that sparrow died again moments later.


	19. Irises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kato gets lost in his thoughts.

Irises

My mother's been much calmer lately. No more looks of fear, no nightmares, not even ikebana. She sat in the living room and watched the TV. Despite the appeal, I found it rather creepy. She looked like an animated corpse for this whole summer. Her flowers had more life in them than she does. I was tempted to check and see if she still had a pulse in front of her TV. She sat in her room and stared at the door all day. Now, I'm worried. What kind of drugs did the doctor give her? I couldn't ask him to stop giving them to her. She needed them or else her terrors will start again. I sighed as I lay on my futon.

I sat up and left my room. My feet heavily wandered down to our living room. She left the TV on again. I looked and saw the news. The Americans were still in our beloved Japan. Things have felt tense sense September of last year. I've heard many people in town complaining about how much they don't like it. If one looked at my neighborhood, they couldn't tell if this was the 1800s or post-WWII except for the power lines above the houses. Everything in this neighborhood felt so stiff like my Mother's dried irises. Nothing ever really changed around here. I had the feeling that the rest of the country is going to leave this place behind and forget all about it. I didn't know. It felt like the inevitable.

I shook my head as if to push such thoughts out of my mind. It was summer and I'm thinking depressing thoughts? That's just not right. I noticed my Mother's neglected irises on the coffee table. I always wondered why she liked irises so much. I had many guesses. My best one was that my father had given them to her in their younger days. I couldn't really confirm that yet until I ask her. Heh, I doubt I would ever get an answer out of her anyway, especially not in the state that she's in right now. Personally, I think I liked her lost in her own world than acting like a zombie. When will she ever get back to "normal?" I pushed her out of my head and tried to think about something else.

Juriko appeared in my head. I've seen her flirting around with some American soldiers in town lately. I'm was exactly sure what her motives are for doing that. Haruka didn't hesitate to tell me.

"She's just trying to use them to get out of this crappy place," she grumbled to me days before school started again. Somehow, I couldn't really blame Juriko. She wanted to get out of here and see what's out there in the world. Haruka and I wanted the same thing too, but how do we accomplish that? How do we even begin to attempt such a plan? We didn't have much money and we didn't really know anybody outside of Nara. It seemed to be all in vain in the end. I sighed as I fell back onto my couch. It was too depressing for me in this house. I needed to get out more.


	20. Summer to Autumn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As summer is ending, Kato realizes that he has come to not enjoy his hometown anymore.

Summer to Autumn

School's starting tomorrow. I didn't really want to go, but I felt like I had to. I wanted to get the hell out of here so badly. I needed to. I had to. I stood in the backyard and looked around me. Nothing felt right to me anymore. I didn't feel like my house or my neighborhood was real anymore. I couldn't quite explain it at the time, but I felt like something was going to change pretty soon. In what ways, I had no idea. The very thought filled me with an unexplained dread.

Somehow, I knew that the summer of my youth was crashing towards an end. I couldn't stop it if I wanted to. I wanted it to happen. I wanted something to take me away from this boring neighborhood I lived in day after day. I would get my wish, just not in the way that I expected.


	21. Autumn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Autumn sets in and school starts.

Autumn

_September 9th, 1947._

Ginger Roots

I'm back in school again. Not much had changed in my life. I still lived in the same neighborhood and the soldiers were still in the country. My mother's a little better now, and she's actually active. She's not working on her ikebana anymore. It's different, and it crept me out.

She still wanted to say something so badly, but she couldn't. My mother came and went mentally. This morning, I found her sitting in the living room out in a daze as I left for school. Her lips were pressed together as if she wanted to say something. She really wanted to. I wished I could hear her thoughts to figure out what. Then again, that would be a sensory overload on my part. Her thoughts were tangled up as it is. I was afraid I would get lost in them as well.  
Yet, I couldn't think about that right now. I had to go to school.

I walked through the living room to the front door and took one glance at her. Mother still sat in the dim morning light, unresponsive. It looked like a long day for her to be lost in her head too. I couldn't focus on her.

"I'm leaving now," I said. Naturally, she didn't speak or look up. I shrugged my shoulders and sighed.  _Might as well leave the TV on for her_ , I thought.  _Maybe give her a little background noise._  I walked over to the TV and flipped it on. More news about the Americans in Japan and the Cold War filled the room. I frowned and shook my head.

_God, I hate that channel_ , I thought. Couldn't the news talk about something happy for a change? I flipped through the channels until I came to the twenty-four hour weather channel.  _Good enough._  I took one more look at my mother. She hadn't moved an inch since I came into the room. I didn't know what I was going to do with her. Maybe I'll talk to Doctor Akai again today. I turned to leave.

"I'm leaving this time," I said.  _Right_ , I thought. I was just about to leave when I heard a mumbling sound. I looked up. My mother sat in place.

"Mother?" I asked. "Did you say something?"

"Iwao-kun," she said. "Iwao-kun. Iwao-kun." I walked over to her.

"Yes, Mother? What is it?" I asked.

"Iwao-kun," she said. "Iwao-kun." I grabbed her hand.

"I'm right here. What is it?" I asked. Her hand gripped around mine as her lips trembled to say more. But then, she went back into her silent, damaged state of mind. Her hand loosened its grip from mine and went limp. I backed up from her in tiny steps. Okay, that was just creepy. She's never done that before. What exactly was she trying to tell me? I shook my head. I really need to get to school. I hurried out of the living room, put my shoes on, and raced out the door.


	22. Carp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kato learns more about the twins' parents when he goes over to their house.

Carp

Juriko and Haruka seemed to live a charmed life. They always looked so beautiful. Juriko had the charm of a social butterfly that she needed to survive in the real world. Haruka had a mysterious charm that drew men to her. They were both at the top of their class. Many girls envied them. Guys had crushes on them all around. Even I couldn't get enough of them. The twins had the perfect image.

However one day before my birthday, I learned an ugly truth about them.

I decided to see where the fox twins lived. My mother was asleep in bed at the time and I had nothing else to do. So I slipped out of the house and walked down the road. Everything around me felt too quiet, almost like an old German horror film. The dying trees along the road didn't really help either. No birds filled the sky this afternoon. I shuddered as I forced myself to keep walking. The wind helped me to do so.

I came to the end of the road. The house looked like a typical Japanese house of the time. The lawn looked to be dying with the season. Two white benches sat on either side of a matching table. I smiled as I tried to picture the set in the summer time.

But then, I noticed Juriko standing on her front lawn, looking around in a rushed way. Curious, I observed her for a couple of minutes. She had on a Western-style dress with no shoes. I kept wondering what she is such a hurry from. Suddenly, my fox angel looked up and noticed me. She power walked up to me.

"What are you doing here?!" she asked in a hushed tone. I blinked.

"Is… something wrong?" I asked.

"Get out here! Now!" she hissed.

"What do you mean? Why?" I asked. Crash! The sound made me jump in the autumn afternoon.

"What was that?!" I cried. I got the answer to my question before it came out of my mouth.

"You're so useless! I hate you!" I heard a woman screaming from inside the house. "You never can commit to anything around here! And you always screw everything up!"

"Shut up, you Japanese spy!" a man yelled back.

"Oh, that's your excuse to blame for everything, isn't?! I'm so mad I could kill you right now!"

"Go on, try it! I have seen combat and Hell in my years on the battlefield!"

"Oh yeah, you got out of that one by being a POW!"

I didn't care to hear anymore as my stomach dropped. Juriko grabbed me by the hand and led me all the way into the woods. I didn't ask questions as I ran after her to the sound of our footsteps behind us. We stopped once we were in the woods and breathed heavily.

"Hey, Juriko-chan," I said once I got my breath back. "What was that all about? Who were they?"

"My parents," she replied. I paused and looked up at the tone of her voice. All of the seductive glow died away from her face. Her airy voice became heavy with seriousness.

"What's wrong with them?" I asked. Juriko looked away.

"My father fought in the war," she said. "He was taken prisoner in the middle of it. When he came home, their fights got worse." She grabbed onto my skinny frame. "Hold me, Iwao-kun. I feel sick."

"Okay…" I mumbled. I slowly put my arms around her and looked up at the sky. For some reason, it was nice to see her all vulnerable like this. It adds a nice change to the situation between the three of us.


	23. Cranes II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On his birthday, Kato learns a rather unsavory truth.

Cranes II

Today was my birthday. I couldn't help but feel uneasy today. I kept thinking something is going to crack. I wished I was wrong, but my gut told me otherwise.

I awoke to my mother smiling at me with a gift in her hand. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. I smiled back.

"It's okay, mother," I said. "Thank you for the gift. You don't have to say anything." My mother's eyes lit up with joy. For once, I felt happy to see her with a little bit of normalcy in her.  
I couldn't figure out what to do for my birthday that year. Mother made a good breakfast with my favorite foods like she did every year. We ate in silence as if it was habitual. My eyes stayed on her the whole time.  _What do you want to tell me so badly?_  It was times like these that I wished that I could hear her thoughts just once. I thought her mind's stable enough for me to give it a try. But then, I'm worried about what I would find. I happened to look up at the wall and notice that in was almost eight o'clock. My eyes widened fast.

"Oh crap!" I said, gasping. "I'm going to be late!" I quickly cleared away my place at the table and grabbed my book bag.

"I'm leaving now!" I said as I rushed out the door. I wasn't sure if she tried to respond or not and I didn't have time to look.

The rest of my day went on as usual. I didn't feel thirteen today. However, I knew I'm not a boy anymore. Everything looked the same around me. Okay, maybe there is something a little bit different. Since when did the girls at school get cuter? When I looked at them, they seemed to giggle at me. Juriko appeared to be much nicer to me now that I'm a bit older. Things between Haruka and me, however, hadn't changed. She still looked evil and angry at me. I didn't think I'll ever get through to her at this rate.

By evening, I made it home for dinner. I expected that Mother had made me a nice birthday dinner like she normally did. In fact, I counted down to it. However, I would get something more than I could swallow that day. I opened the front door and went inside.

"I'm home!" I called as I started to take off my shoes. When she didn't respond, I assumed that she was sound asleep in bed. I had gotten off my shoes and was about to go to my room when I noticed my Mother sitting right in front of me in the doorway. I leapt up at her pale face, trembling hands, and dark, tired eyes. My stomach turned as I eyed her.

"Mother?" I asked. "Is something wrong? Did something happen?" She crawled her hands into tight little fists.

"Iwao-kun," she forced out of her mouth. I quickly held up my hand.

"Mother, stop," I said. "You don't have to speak."

"No!" she cried. "I have to say this!"

"Mother…" I said.

"I have to tell you about your grandmother and those girls' family!" she blurted out.

"Mother…" I could see that her head was starting to ache again. She tried her hardest to fight it.

"No, damn it! I'm going to tell him this even if I have to die!"

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"The man who found your grandmother was those twins great-grandfather!" she shouted through her torment. My eyes widened.

"What did you say?" I asked. She forced her hands down to the tatami with such force that I started to back away in my own fear.

"You're not feeling well, right now, Mother," I said. "Maybe we should get you to bed now."

"No, listen!" she cried. I closed my mouth. She swallowed through her growing pain.

"Your grandmother ran away from home ran when she was only sixteen," Mother began again. "After six weeks, she wandered around the woods, half-naked and starving. By sundown on one summer day, she wished for death or someone to take her away. That someone was their grandfather!"

"You mean…" I said.

"Yes!" she cried. "Anzai Heiji!" My schoolbag hit the floor with a thud.

"The Anzai Heiji?" I asked. "The thirty-seventh head of the third generation Eda clan?"

"Yes!" Mother screamed. She held her head tighter as she took in heavy breaths to talk.

"He was going to kill her, but…" she said.

"But what?" I asked. "What happened?" My mother breathed in as she huddled into a ball at my feet.

"She was pregnant with me!" she screamed. "That man took your grandmother and gave her over to his younger brother, Kosho, to keep his bloodline from dying out."

"So, you're saying…?" I began to ask.

"Yes!" my mother cried with the highest pain. "Your grandmother is their grandmother's adopted cousin!" Suddenly, her pain faded away and she lay on the ground, panting. My jaw dropped as the words disappeared from my mouth. Juriko and Haruka were my third cousins?

"No," I said. "It… can't… be…" I said in a slow voice. My mother's eyes looked up.

"As much as I wish it wasn't," she said as her voice returned. "This is the truth."

"But, why didn't grandma Mimiko run away?" I asked.

"Because of me," Mother mumbled.

"What?" I asked. Her hand weakly grabbed my foot.

"Despite that her knowing all about the clan's blood-filled history and the horrors she came to witness in fourteen years, she stayed to take care of me. Kosho told her that if she left, she would be leaving alone and couldn't take me with her."

"So how did you and grandma get away?" I asked.

"My mother packed up our things and we ran away in the night when I was only thirteen," Mother said. "We tried to live a normal life. Because of our history with the Eda clan, we were shunned into the woods. However, your father came along and saved me." This felt like someone else's life and not my own.

"This is what you struggled to tell me?" I asked.

"Yes," Mother said in a weak voice.

"But why?"

"Your father put a spell on me to never talk about if we to have any children. I promised to keep this secret buried. But when you met those twins, I had to break it to save you from them."

"Why? What will they do to me? Where is Papa now?"

Mother rested her head at my feet. "Can't talk anymore. Too tired. Need to sleep…" She went to sleep before me. Suddenly, my life just wasn't the same anymore.


	24. Autumn to Winter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kato's mother is doing better, but the son still can't shake the truth or get away from the Eda twins.

Autumn to Winter

My mother had changed ever since she told me the truth on my birthday. She's much happier now. She even works on her ikebana, but now she was starting to talk to me. Yet she acted like nothing has happened since my thirteenth birthday. I couldn't get the truth out of my head. Juriko and Haruka were my third cousins? That couldn't be. I didn't want to believe it, but what could I do? I couldn't look at the fox twins the same anymore.

I found it rather impossible to get away from them. They had grabbed a piece of my heart and wouldn't let go.


	25. Winter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Winter sets in and Kato's mother is a little more chatty than she used to be.

Winter

_December 10th, 1948._

Snow

I was becoming a man and my mother kept reminding me of this.

"You are so handsome, Iwao-kun," she told me as she worked with her dried irises. I took it all with a smile.

"Yes, Mother," I said.

"I wonder when you'll get married," she said.

"Say what?" I asked as I pretended not to hear her ramblings.

"I want to be a grandmother soon," she said. "I'll have to start arranging your marriage soon."

"But, I'm only fourteen years old," I said.

"Even more so to find you a wife!" she said.

"Where?" I asked.

"I'll find you wife," Mother said.

"But, I'm going to be a priest." I looked around when I heard her laughing. Just by her tone I could tell that she was smiling at me.

"What?" I asked. She turned around with the smile that I predicted she would have.

"Don't be silly, my son!" she said. "Priests can get married in the Shinto religion. After all, your father married me." I don't know what I found creepier—her tone or her smiling the whole time. I slowly backed into the hallway.

"I'll be in my room if you need me," I said.

"Okay," my mother replied. I ran down the hall. I think I liked her better when she was more of a zombie.


	26. Winter to Spring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nothing much will change until the next year comes.

Winter to Spring

There wasn't much that went on that year. My mother had turned chatty and really perky to the point that it crept me out. But, she meant well, I hoped. As for the twins, I have seen them around. Haruka still looked hatefully at me, and Juriko continued to string me along. I still didn't know what exactly her motives are for me, but still I followed her around like a little dog. I couldn't explain what it was with her, but I just kept on coming back to her.

So in other words, nothing had changed. Everything was still the same in our lives. Nothing was ever going to change in our boring little neighborhood. Everything will stay the same until we die. Or rather, that was my belief until the next year changed everything for all three of us.


	27. Ice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two days before Christmas, a tragedy breaks up the trio and sends them on separate paths.

Ice

_December 23rd, 1950._

That was the year that everything changed. My demonic fox angel, Juriko, died that year. They say it was an accident, but I don't believe that for one minute. She was murdered and I know who did it. The day played out like this:

It snowed that day which was strange because the forecast didn't call for it. I didn't really think much about this pleasant surprise.

"Mother," I said. "Can I go out in the snow today?" She sat at the table smiling with her flowers in her hands.

"Of course, just be home for dinner," she said.

"Alright," I said. With that, I put on my snow gear and headed out the door. On that morning, I had only one place I wanted to go. There was an old pond near the woods in our neighborhood. I found Juriko and Haruka waiting for me there, or rather, the former was waiting for me. Juriko smiled as she stood up to greet me.

"Hello, Iwao-kun," she said. I blushed at her angelic-like voice.

"Hi…" I mumbled. Haruka sneered as she rolled her eyes. I smiled and waved.

"Hello Haruka-chan," I said. She glared at me and looked away. I felt a sweat drop form on my head.  _Bitter as usual…_

Juriko twirled about in the snow, laughing. "You like it? I whispered for it to snow on our birthday today and it came true!"

At first, I didn't get it. "Huh?" I asked. She giggled. The snow fox princess walked over to me and leaned in close to my ear.

"My powers have manifested today," she bragged. Her hot breath made my heart jump. I looked at her.

"Really?" I asked. Juriko nodded.

"Uh-huh," she said. I glanced over at Haruka.

"And what about her?" I asked. Juriko tried not to laugh as she shook her head.

"No," she said. "Her powers haven't come yet." I happened to notice Haruka glaring at us. My heart went out to her.

"You sure it's okay to talk about this in front of her?" I asked. Juriko shrugged.

"She's fine," she said. "She doesn't really care by this point!" Her giggles sailed to the high winter sky. I laughed in a nervous way as I looked over at Haruka. She snorted and looked away.

Haruka didn't seem to fare well from Juriko and me talking about her for the rest of the morning. She stood off to the side in the snow as her twin sister skated gracefully on the ice. I could understand how she felt. Everyone always focused on Juriko. She was more popular than Haruka and she had it all- looks, charm, grace, brains, and a strong sense of independence. On the outside, she looked like an angel, but Haruka and I knew her much better over the years. Juriko could be as cold as the snow that almost came on their birthday every year. She had no trouble with killing a sparrow for me to resurrect. I hated to see what she would do if someone got her angry. That's how the whole Eda clan was.

I bit my lip as I watched Haruka watch her sister skate on the ice. Despite it being a cold birthday, I could tell by her face that she burned hot with envy. Too many years she had been ignored, sixteen too many to be exact. The hateful look in her eye at her had me worried. Juriko She looked like an ideal winter princess as appeared to be having a good time. The weak winter sun gently kissed and caressed her long flowing midnight blue hair. The boys from down our street came to gawk at this dark angel as she skated around on the ice.

Haruka clenched her fists as she watched on in hate. Sure, she looked just as beautiful as her sister, but did anyone ever notice? No! It was always about Juriko! Her sister saw her as a burden in her life. But, I noticed her. She constantly complained to me about how badly she wanted to kill her sister.

"My life would be so much better without Juriko around," she said on many occasions.

"You don't believe that," I would say, brushing her off.

"Yes, I do!" she snapped. If Juriko's powers manifested today, what if Haruka's powers manifested and killed her sister?

Suddenly, the ice cracked and broke under Juriko's feet. She fell right into the icy black water below, screaming. I leapt in shock at the sound of her voice. The boys all ran forward to save her.

"Help!" Juriko cried as she struggled in the icy pond. "W-W-Water… too cold! Can't swim here! Help! Help! Help me!" Two boys ran home to get rescue. Throughout the chaos, I happened to look up and notice Haruka standing off in the distance. She didn't move an inch and her face was drained of any emotion. She watched as her twin sister was drowning in the black icy cold water.

Right then, I figured out what really happened.  _You did it_ , I thought to her.  _You really did it. You really killed your own sister._  For one brief second, I thought I saw Haruka smiling at my realization. But, my memory is the only thing fuzzy about that particular second.

By the time rescue arrived, it was too late. The water and cold claimed Juriko's life. By the time the adults could pull her out, she had already drowned with hypothermia. Eda Juriko was only sixteen on her birthday.

Things had never been the same ever since that morning. The day after Christmas, Haruka ran away from home and never returned to Nara. Naturally, nobody noticed her. Her parents didn't even report her missing. I don't even think that they noticed that she was gone. As for me, I buried myself in school and studying to become a priest. However, that wasn't the last time I would cross the Eda clan or Haruka in my lifetime.


	28. Butterfly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kato leaves his hometown two years later and becomes a priest.

Butterfly

By 1952, I left home. My Mother wished me luck on becoming a priest.

"You will make your father and me proud," she said. She kissed me on the cheeks and I left that boring neighborhood in Nara. Both of us knew the time for me to grow up and leave had come by that autumn. There was nothing left for me there. At eighteen years old, I became my own man.

Over time, my healing powers grew strong and more stable. Despite myself trying not to use them at all, I ended up putting them all to good use. However, I chose to use them in secret because I thought that my powers were not of Buddha. Instead, I believed that I had somehow become possessed by a demon with these healing abilities. I couldn't stop using them though and I didn't really know how to. In the end, I decided to try and put my secret abilities to good use, but only under the condition that I would never tell anyone about them. From there onwards when I became a priest, I used my abilities to heal the sick and the dying in my new community.

The first year on my own was filled with many challenges. I had to find a place to live and that was a bit of a headache. I was only given a certain amount of money to work with on my own. That's really hard when you don't have much to begin with. I had to split it up with housing, food, and my living expenses.

Lucky for me, I had a little help. An old priest named Hirata Hiroshi came along and helped me. I had heard of him before. He came by the temple I was studying at two years ago for a visit to the priest there, but I didn't really get a chance to say hi to him.

"He's not here for a social chat," my teacher told me when I asked about him afterwards.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Priests do not have time for those sorts of things," my teacher replied. "Priests have to be the rock of the community. Do you think they have time for social lives?" My soul died a little after hearing that. Priests aren't allowed to be normal people? That's not true. I couldn't live like that. Of course, I didn't say that out loud to my teacher. Instead, I lowered my head and mumbled, "Yes sir."

I looked up to see him smiling. "Very good," he said. I forced myself to smile. I decided that I wasn't going to be one of those priests who locked themselves away from the world. If I was going to do this, I would be a normal, active person in my community.

Back to present day.

Hirata-sama helped me get started in Kobe. Thanks to him, I found a small apartment close to the temple that I would be working from and he gave me a job to help make ends meet. Within six months, I was set. My life had become stable enough for me not to worry about how I would make it anymore. I thought that I had it all working for me.

I didn't realize I was missing anything until I met Hino Michiko in the spring of 1959.


	29. Jasmines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kato meets Michiko for the first time in the spring.

Jasmines

I will never forget April seventh, 1959. It was raining on that Tuesday. I was twenty-five years old and my career as a priest was going rather smoothly. I still worked as an assistant in counseling to Hirata-sama that year. Japan was on its seventh year of independence from the Allied forces. Juriko and Haruka had long since faded from my mind. My mother was still doing well with her health. In fact, we called each other on a nightly basis. I just thought that my life had nicely come together.

And then, there was that morning in April seventh, 1959.

I was running late because I overslept from working on some paperwork from last night. It was rare for me to have crappy days in 1959. Judging from the rain, I thought that was going to be one of those bad days. I didn't have time to get breakfast and didn't think that I even had the right papers. I couldn't even check as I rushed out the door. I stood out in the rain in front of my apartment, trying to hail a taxi.  _Come on! Where is that damn taxi!_  I looked through the heavy rain.

"Oh no!" I heard someone wail. "My shoes!" When I looked over to my right, I thought that I saw one of the gods' most precious gifts. This woman looked about my age, maybe younger. She had plastic pink-purple hair clips by her ears. I thought she would've looked prettier with a smile on her face. She looked like a little porcelain doll in her white and pink dress suit with matching shoes and a hat. I found myself drawn over to her.

"Excuse me miss," I said. She looked up, frustrated.

"What?" she wailed. I gave her a calm smile.

"Are you okay, miss?" I asked.

"No!" she whimpered.

"Okay," I said. "What is the problem?"

"A car drove by and ruined my new shoes," she said. I looked down at the problem that she was talking about. Mud and water had seeped through her left pink shoe and white pantyhose.

"Here," I said in a patient voice. I reached into my jacket and pulled out a handkerchief. I knelt down and wiped her leg off the best that I could. She looked on at me with a curious look.

"I don't get it," she said.

"Get what?" I asked as I looked up.

"Why are you doing all of this for some stranger that you've just met?" the woman asked. I shrugged.

"Felt like it," I said. She giggled.

"What?" I asked.

"You're an odd person," she said.

"I get that a lot," I said.

"Do you?" she asked.

I nodded as I pressed my lips together. "Yeah."

"What is your name?" this angel asked.

"Kato Iwao. What's yours?" I answered.

My little butterfly gave me a smile for the first time since we met. "Hino Michiko."

My jaw almost dropped. "You mean… Hino, as in sake brewers?"

"That's right," she said.

I whistled. "Wow." I took another look at Michiko. "So, what's the occasion today, Hino-san?"

Michiko gave me a funny look. "Occasion?"

"You know, why are you all dressed up like that?" I asked.

"Oh! I'm going to tour the Hino Factory today," she answered with a smile.

"Why?" I asked.

"I'm an only child and there are no other male heirs to the company. So, my father's thinking about letting me run the company," she replied.

I raised an eyebrow. "Is he sure that is a good idea?"

Michiko frowned. "You don't think I'm capable enough to run the factory?"

I quickly put up my hands. "No, no! I think you'll do a good job. It's just…"

"Just what?" she asked.

"It would be interesting to see a woman run a big company!" I blurted out. Michiko's facial didn't change as she kept her mouth closed. Did I blow it with her? Her thin ruby-tined lips curved into a smile.

"You really are an odd one," she said. I chuckled as I smiled.

"Yeah, I guess I am," I said. Just then, the taxi pulled up. Michiko climbed inside and turned to me.

"You coming?" she asked.

"Do you want me to…?" I said, trailing off.

"Of course," she said. "You have to go somewhere too, don't you?" Her question reminded me that I was already running late for work that morning.

"Damn it, yes!" I yelled. I jumped into the cab next to her and buckled up. "Drive!" The driver complied and stepped on the gas. Heh, not a bad morning after all. I got to meet an angel who was soon to be my wife in four years.


	30. Plum Blossoms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unsure about what to do with his feelings for Michiko, Kato turns to Harada-sama for guidance.

Plum Blossoms

Michiko stayed on my mind for the rest of the day. She wasn't like any of the other women I had ever met. Strong-willed and confident, reminded me of Juriko years ago in a sense. No, Juriko gave off this icy vibe. Michiko had a warmer personality. I could approach her and she had those eyes that said adore me forever.

I began to realize something at that last thought. I shook my head at the conclusion.  
No! I'm training to be a priest. I can't have a personal relationship. I shut my eyes to block her out. Her angelic face only got bigger. I wanted to kiss her lips so badly, hold her in my arms, run my fingers through her long hair.

I trembled at where my thoughts were headed. I opened my eyes as I lowered my shoulders, defeated. I can't handle this alone. I puffed out my cheeks, and readied myself to get some help.

The trip to Hirata-sama's office took about three minutes tops. I readied myself before I gave the door three good knocks.

"Enter!" I heard him say. I opened the big, oak door. Hirata-sama sat at his desk looking over his papers. He looked up when he heard me walking inside.

"Oh, Kato-kun," he said.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt you," I said as I closed the door behind me. The old man smiled as he shook his head.

"Not at all, my boy. I was just about to finish up to go to lunch. What's on your mind?"

"Well, I have a little problem."

"What exactly is it?"

"I met a woman this morning."

"Go on."

I felt my cheeks grow hot as I thought about Michiko. "She's really pretty."

Hirata-sama smiled. "Oh!"

I pressed my lips together and nodded. "Yeah."

He leaned in closer. "Do you think she is cute?"

My cheeks reddened even harder. "Yes…"

"So, what's the problem?" Hirata-sama asked.

I swallowed. "Well… I kind of want to stay celibate."

Hirata-sama looked at me, funny. "Why?"

"Aren't priests supposed to be like that?" I asked. I noticed that my mentor tried to hold his laughter. "What?"

"Who told you all of this?" he asked. I lowered my head.

"My old teacher," I mumbled.

"You mean, Arai-san?" he asked.

"Yes!" I said. Hirata-sama chuckled.

"That old stickler doesn't understand what it is to be alive," he said.

"Huh?" I asked with a blank stare.

"The only religion you have to be celibate as a priest is the Catholic one," he said.

"Really?" I asked with big eyes.

Hirata-sama shrugged. "I mean, that's your choice if you want to. Do you want that for yourself really?" I didn't have to be celibate if I didn't have to? I quickly shook my head.

"N-No!" I said. Hirata-sama smiled.

"Well then, I suggest pursuing this in a healthy way," he replied.

"How?" I asked.

"Get to know this Michiko first, ask her out on a date, take things slowly, and the rest will fall into place for you both," Hirata-sama said.

"O-kay…" I said in a half-mumble. Hirata-sama pressed the tips of his fingers together.

"Anything else?" he asked. I shook my head.

"No sir," I said. "In fact, I'm leaving right now." I turned and headed out the door. I pondered everything Hirata-sama told me. Get to know Michiko first, ask her out on a date, take things slowly, and the rest will fall into place for you both. Hm… I think I can wing it on his advice. I hope…


	31. Vines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kato and Michiko start to get to know each other.

Vines

First, I had to find Michiko and talk to her. That shouldn't be too hard, right? Her family owns a huge sake brewery. Their name is well known around Japan. I should start there. I looked her up in the phone book to get an address, and my luck began to turn around for that day.

"Ah!" I said to myself on my lunch break. "Here she is!" I wrote down the address and put the paper in my pocket. A smile came onto my face.  _Found ya!_

I tried to keep myself under control. Glancing at the clock never helped time go faster. I had learned that the hard way before. I still can't help doing so, though. I took in deep breaths to keep myself calm.  _Damn it! Why does time have to drag on?_  I sat back in my chair. I needed something to do until six o'clock. I looked around at my desk; maybe a little paperwork could keep my mind occupied. I picked up my pen and got to work. I fought to keep myself awake in the process. Of course, I had little success with that. I jerked myself awake just as I began to fall asleep, and finished up the last paper. Just in time for me to go find my future wife.

Michiko lived in an upscale neighborhood at the time. The houses were all newly built. Not in a cheap way, either. I suspected that old money was involved in this case. With parents like Michiko's, I wouldn't be surprised. I took out the sheet of paper and read over the address.

"White Cherry Blossom Cloud House," I read to myself. I looked around at the multiple houses on either side of me. Based on the information the taxi driver told me during the hour-long drive to the wealthier parts of Tokyo, I should be looking for a big white house with a plum red roof. I rolled my shoulders around as I gathered up my thoughts.

Alright, I thought confidently. I can do this. I began my walk down the road. Near the back end of the pond, I found the house I was searching for. My jaw dropped, my eyes as big as saucers.

"Whoa!" I mumbled. This wasn't a house. My future wife lived in a freaking castle! This place could put all of the castles of this country in the picture books. No, it looked much better than those castles. I blinked many times.  _Old money could buy all of this? Okay!_  I walked down the path and made it to the door. I counted to ten backwards in my head before knocking. I paced around a bit and straightened my hair before the door opened. I stood straight and saw my Michiko looking me up and down.

"Yes?" she asked. I put on a smile for this lovely lady.

"Hi," I said. Michiko blinked.

"Can… I help you?" she asked.

"I'm Iwao," I said. "Remember? We met earlier this morning waiting for taxi." It took her a moment to remember what I was talking about.

"Oh, yeah!" she said. "How did you find me?"

"I looked you up in the phone book."

"You did? So, what brings you by?"

My cheeks turned bright red as I gathered up my courage. "I really like you! Will you go out on a date with me?" I looked up at her. Michiko gave me a little smile.

"A date?" she repeated.

"Yes," I replied. "If it's too much, we could just go to lunch together or something." I hoped that she would say yes.

"It's too early for us to go out on a date," Michiko said. "But lunch is just fine. How is Sunday afternoon?" I nodded my head up and down while blushing.

"Perfect!" I said aloud. "I'll be happy to go to lunch this Sunday afternoon!"

"Anything else?" she asked. I shook my head.

"No," I said. "I guess I'll leave." I quickly turned and left. I actually have a date this week!


	32. Waterfall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kato and Michiko's blooming relationship hit a small problem when an unwanted rival tries to tear them apart for the young priest himself.

Waterfall

Michiko and I had a good lunch date the next day. I asked for her phone number and if I could see her again.

"Sure," she said. "Here you go." Michiko wrote down her phone number on a napkin and I took it with a smile.

"I'll call you," I said.

"Alright," she replied. Things went on nicely from there. But then, I hit a little problem.

Her name was Sakumoto Anri. This lady has had eyes for me since I first came to Kobe. She was a flirty woman, to be frank. She would do anything to grab my attention. Her Western-style dresses were always low-cut and short. She kept trying to get me to sleep with her every chance she got. I always kindly turned her down. But, she wouldn't quit! So, it is easy to imagine how she found out that I had a girlfriend in the course of a few weeks.

I remember that it was June when Anri came back around to the counseling office where I worked. The air conditioning was broken again that morning, so the office already felt hot and uncomfortable. I felt like passing out that morning.

_God damn it! Fine time for the air conditioning to fail today! Could this morning get any worse?_  Then, there came a knock on my door.

"Enter," I mumbled. My ears were trained to notice the sound of a pair of pumps clacking across the hard floor. I paused, my heart pounding.  _Oh crap! Don't tell me…_

I lifted my head from my desk. Low and behold, Anri stood in the doorway, smiling at me. I tried to be pleasant by smiling back.

"Hello there, Sakumoto-san," I said. She gave me a little giggle. I blinked.

"Uh… can I help you?" I asked. Anri walked across the room to my desk. She leaned in so close that her small nose almost touched mine. The strong scent of her French perfume made me lean back.

"Can I help you?" I asked again. Anri's plump, red lips curved into a smile.

"My company and I are going out to this newly opened French restaurant in town," she said. "My original date just canceled on me."

"I'm sorry to hear that," I said.

"So, I was wondering if you were doing anything tonight," she hinted. I gave her a little smile.

"Actually, I am," I replied. She gave me her famous, teasing smile.

"Oh, what? More studying with the scripture?" I shook my head.

"I have a date," I told her. Her smile dropped at what she heard.

"What?" she asked. "With who?"

"Hino Michiko," I said proudly. I looked at her for a reaction. She looked at me with disbelief.

"No!" she gasped. I smiled and nodded.

"It's the truth," I said. Anri stood there with a loss for words.

"Well… uh… wow… okay… Congratulations," she struggled to say. I smiled and gave her a little nod.

"Thanks, anything else?" Anri shook her head.

"No." I laced my fingers together.

"Okay then," I said. "Have a good day." My number one "fan" turned and walked out of my office. I sat back feeling rather confident. I had no idea how far Anri would go just to have me, but I would probably find out later that night.

At seven o'clock that evening, I stopped by the Hino house. I looked really nice that night, too. I went out of my way to get dressed up and saved enough money to take my girlfriend out to the nicest restaurant in town. I drew in a breath. Why am I so nervous? I wondered. You and Michiko have been on many dates before! This is nothing new to you. When I rang the doorbell however, I was in for quite a surprise.

One of the maids greeted me at the door. I blinked.  _Huh?_

"Uh… is Michiko-san in?" I asked. The maid gave me a little smile.

"Sorry, but Michiko-sama does not want to see you again or ever," she said. I missed the response completely at first.

"What?" I asked.  
"Have a good day," the maid said, then slammed the door in my face.  _Uh… what just happened?_

For weeks, Michiko hadn't returned my calls or talked to me at all. After two weeks, I began to get suspicious. Something's fishy here, I thought to myself. I decided to go and investigate the matter. I paid a surprise visit to Hino manor on my lunch break. I pounded heavily on the door.

"I know you're in there, Michiko!" I yelled. "Come out here and talk to me! What's going on? Why are you avoiding me?" I looked up when I heard a window opening. I noticed a face peeking out through the curtains. I could tell that Michiko was looking right at me at this very second. I hurried over to the window.

"Michiko-chan!" I said.

"Go away!" she shouted. I gave her a blank stare.

"What?" I asked. "What are you talking about? Why have you been avoiding me?"

"Why don't you run back to your other girlfriend?!" she yelled. Okay, she lost me there. I gave her a face that told her so.

"What?"

"Don't act like I'm an idiot!" Michiko wailed. "You've had another woman on the side while we were dating!"

"What other woman?" I asked.

"She came by my house and told me all about you!" she wailed. "She told me about how you've been seeing her for three months and how you just want my money!" I blinked, entirely confused at first. Then I began to get any idea of who was trying to break us up.

"This woman, what did she look like?" I asked Michiko.

"Why does it matter?!"

"I think I might know who you're talking about," I explained. "Just describe her for me." I could hear Michiko huffing in anger at me.

"She had long, dark green hair and was dressed up really nice," she said. I gritted my teeth.

"I knew it," I mumbled.

"Knew what?" she snapped. I looked straight at her.

"That woman is named Sakumoto Anri and I am not seeing her," I said. Michiko still didn't believe me.

"How can I be sure you're not lying?" she asked.

"She's been obsessed with since I first came here to Kobe," I said. "I want nothing to do with her. I promise!"

"And what about me?" she asked. I clenched my fists so tightly that I could feel my nails almost breaking the skin.

"I love you for you," I said. "I don't care about your money or your status!"

"You promise?" she asked, still unsure.  
"Yes!" I declared. Then, the curtain drew back to reveal Michiko's surprised face. I held up my hands to her.

"See? I would never be like that to you. I truly love you." I noticed that her eyes were welling up with big tears.

"I'm so sorry, Iwao-kun! I should have never doubted you." I just gave her a little smile.

"It's okay," I replied. "I forgive you." I let my girlfriend cry it out as I sneered in my thoughts. I was going to have to have a talk with Anri later.


	33. Cherry Blossom Tree

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kato proposes to Michiko while ring shopping.

Cherry Blossom Tree

_August 10th, 1963._

Michiko and I had been dating for four years now. I think now would be the perfect time for us to get married. Yet, I don't know how to put my plan into action. A marriage proposal takes planning. How could I go about doing this?

First, I needed the ring. That alone took me days to work out. It had to be perfect for her. Michiko was a special woman. I know I was thinking like your typical guy then, but it's normal when you are in love. You just want to make them happy, no matter what. However, I had to keep a stable balance between work and my love life. It wasn't easy at first, but over time, I learned how to manage. Good thing, too. I probably would've scared everyone around me away.

But, back to the current problem.

I first needed to get the ring to propose to Michiko. That alone took so much work. I spent weeks saving money to get the ring; then came the question of what style of ring I wanted. This had to be special for my girl. I didn't want to get her a diamond—too generic. Maybe a sapphire? Nah, too soft for her personality. A ruby? That's too bold for her. An emerald? Yeah, that would be perfect! I shopped around for five days for the emerald engagement ring. When I had the right amount of money, I went to the jewelry store to go buy the ring. I took a moment to stare upon the glittering green jewel in the display case. I had to blink to take in such beauty before me.

"Wow," I breathed.  _How do they manage to tame such a beauty in something so small?_

"Can I help you today, sir?" I heard someone ask. I quickly came back to earth and looked up. The clerk stood before me, smiling. I smiled back a little.

"Ah yes," I said. "I would like your best ring on display." She lit up with a bright smile.

"Oh! Are you proposing?" she asked.

"Yes, I am."

"Oooh!" she cheered. "You've come to the right place!"

"I hope so," I said.

"So, what type of ring suits your girl?"

"Huh?"

"What's she like?" the clerk asked.

"Well, she's a strong-willed woman. Polite, but not afraid to speak her mind. Willing to make room for others, but won't sacrifice her personal morals."

The clerk thought about that for a moment and smiled. "I have the perfect one. Hang one." She turned around and picked up the key hanging on the nail in the wall. The clerk unlocked the case and reached inside. My eyes lit up as she pulled out a freshly cut emerald engagement ring. The stone looked perfectly cut to a square on a platinum band. The light bounced off of it, nearly blinding me with its strong green. I gave off a low whistle.

"Wow," I whispered. "What size is the band?"

"17.3mm," the clerk replied. I took out a piece of paper I had in my pocket, unfolded it, and read it over. I looked up at the clerk with a smile on my face.

"It's just the right size," I said. "How much is it?"

"52,000,000 yen," the clerk replied. My heart dropped. She gave me another little smile.

"There is a discount today, however," she said. A little hope crept back into my being.

"How much?" I asked.

"Fifty percent off," she said. I made a face.

"Ooh, that's still a little too high," I said.

"Oh come on," she started. "You could bend your budget for the ring." I raised an eyebrow.

"Are you sure about that?" I asked.

"Do you love this woman so much that you would die without her?"

"Well, yes," I answered.

"Do you love her so much that you can't picture your life without her?"

"Yes," I admitted.

"Did you plan your future with her as a big part of it?" the clerk pressed.

"Yes!" I blurted out.

"Then, this ring is worth spending a little more money. Think of her response when you ask for her hand in marriage," the clerk insisted.

I smiled and gave her a quick nod. "Okay!" So, I ended spending the extra money for the ring.

However, I wasn't done yet. I still had to get the timing, what I was going to say, and location just right as well. As I learned soon enough, getting the ring was the easiest thing in the whole proposal process.

I decided to propose to Michiko in front of my apartment where we first met. It took six weeks to plan out what I wanted to say to my girlfriend when I was to pop the question. Each time, I would revise my speech until I finally had it just the way I wanted to come out. I felt pretty confident when I had the right words for my love. My only problem was when to act on this plan. To my dismay, no day worked out for me. Either she was too busy or I was too busy and forgot. Life just kept getting in the way of everything.

Finally in October, I decided to just go for it. I walked Michiko back to my apartment one evening before the day that would be Halloween. We had just come back from another date. Michiko turned to me, laughing.

"I had such a great time," she said. I smiled and nodded.

"Yeah," I replied. "Hey Michiko. There is something I have wanted to ask you for months now." She looked at me.

"What is it?" she asked. I drew in a deep breath and shut my eyes for one short moment. Here I go. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the box. I opened it up to show her the ring.

"Marry me!" I blurted out.

"Huh?"

"I love you, Michiko-chan!" I declared. "I want you to be part of my future. So please, marry me!" I opened my eyes to peek at her pretty face. I had never seen her eyes look so big before in my life. I swallowed hard, feeling my heart speedup against my chest. Michiko gave me a little nod.

"Okay," she said. I looked hopefully.

"Michiko?"

"Yes," answered. "I will marry you." I could've flown over the moon and back many times. My cheeks turned red as I bowed.

"I thank you, Michiko-chan!" I shouted. She took the ring and slid it on her ring finger. I could hear my heart singing when her eyes lit up.

"It fits!" she cheered. Michiko hugged me wildly. I couldn't help but smile.

"You're welcome," I said. We got married on December eighteenth that year. It was a small ceremony with her parents, my mother, and Hirata-sama as our witnesses. Hirata-sama married us in his temple. I stood beside Michiko-chan proudly. She stayed somber the whole time. Despite that, we were happy that year.

"I love you," I whispered to her.

"And I love you too," Michiko whispered back. She held my hand under the winter sun. I could've died happy.


	34. Caterpillar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Married life should be nice, right? Only, Michiko feels that something is missing in her life. So, Kato writes on a charm to help her find the answer.

Caterpillar

Michiko and I lived in happy matrimony. I became a priest and Michiko became manager of the brewery. I put up my apartment for sale and we bought a house in the countryside of Kobe. We always made time for each other. And yet…

I kept noticing my wife was trying to be happy. I couldn't understand what was wrong.

"Michiko, what's the matter?" I asked her one summer afternoon in 1968. Michiko looked at me with a tired smile.

"Nothing dear," she lied. I gave her a kind smile.

"You haven't been happy lately. What's the matter? Is the problem with me?" I asked. She shook her head at me.

"No, it's not you," she said. I closed my book.

"Then what's the problem?" I persisted. Michiko shook her head, lowering her shoulders and sighed.

"I don't know," she said. "I just feeling like something is missing from our lives." I raised an eyebrow.

"Like what?" I asked. She shook her head.

"I don't know," she said. "Just… something…" I really wished I could help ease my wife's endless feeling of emptiness. I just wanted to see my wife happy again. So the next morning at my temple, I wrote down a little wish for Michiko.

"Help Michiko find whatever she missing in her life," I wrote down and tied it the altar. I drew in a breath and hoped that it would work. That night, Michiko and I spent the night in for once. It felt really nice to have just us in the house on a summer's night. Maybe she would find what she was looking for tonight.

Two weeks later, Michiko started to feel really sick. I became worried when she started throwing up in the mornings. I didn't know what to do.

"Is something wrong?" I asked her.

"I don't know," she whimpered in the bathroom one June morning.

"Is it something you have been eating?"

"No," she wailed. I worked my brain to try and find the cause. I kept thinking about the worst that could be happening to her. There was a stomach virus going around in our village that year. Maybe…

I quickly shook my head.  _No! You don't know that for certain! Don't even think about saying that out loud; you'll freak her out!_  But still, we had to find out what was making her sick.

"Michiko," I spoke up.

"What?" she asked.

"I'm going to take you to the hospital," I said.

"Why?"

"This is just in case it's something serious, okay?" I answered.

"Okay," my wife said. I walked her to my car and drove her to the hospital in the next village.

"Hang in there," I said. "It's just a few kilometers away." Michiko held my hand.

"I'm scared," she whispered.

"Shhh, it's okay. I'm here for you." We made it to the hospital without any problems.

Michiko squeezed my hand as we walked inside. I paced around the waiting room as the doctor examined her. I took in heavy breaths as I tried to not make myself worry more. Maybe it's not something really bad. Maybe she just has minor stomach pains. Yeah, that's it. I tried to keep myself calm.

I almost jumped when I heard the door slide open. I rushed over to the doctor.

"How is she?" I asked. "Is it a stomach virus?" The doctor smiled, shaking his head at me.

"No, no," he said. "It's just a little morning sickness." I blinked at him at first.

"Morning sickness?" I repeated. The meaning of the phrase finally sank into my head.

"You mean… I'm going to be a daddy?" The doctor gave me a proud smile.

"That's right," he told me. "Your wife is pregnant." I felt like flying high around the sun and back. We were going to become a family now.

For the next nine months, I took good care of Michiko the best that I could. I treated her like a goddess every day. I talked to our unborn child every morning.

"Hey there," I whispered to the baby. "I can't wait for you to meet us." I followed that up with a little kiss on her belly. Michiko smiled at my affection toward our unborn child.

"You'll make a wonderful father," she told me on her eighth month of pregnancy. I looked at her with dreamy eyes.

"You think so?" I asked. My wife smiled as she ran her slender finger along my cheek. She gave me a kiss on the lips. I kissed her back. Michiko slowly pulled away from me. Her plump, little lips curved into a smile.

"Convinced?" she asked. I smiled back at her, nuzzling her nose with mine.

"Oh yes," I said. Michiko giggled. On February second of 1969, my wife gave birth to a baby girl. We named her Midori after Michiko's little sister. My wife's parents were so overjoyed to have a new grandchild that they named her the heir of the whole Hino. Michiko and I didn't mind it. Our beautiful daughter was all that mattered to us in our lives. After Midori-chan was born, I noticed a change in Michiko. She had become much happier.

"So, Michiko-chan," I began, three days after we brought Midori home from the hospital.

"Mhm?" my wife hummed as she held our daughter in her arms.

"Do you feel that your life is complete now?" I asked, watching her dreamily. My wife smiled as she gently poked the baby's fat, pink little cheeks.

"Yes," she answered. "My life is complete now." I smiled at my family.

"I'm glad," I said. "I'm really glad."


	35. Bear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An injured Russian soldier comes to the Kato house in the middle of a stormy night. While under their care, he and Kato have a deep conversation about souls and the horrors of war.

Bear

I had a weird encounter one day in 1973. Midori-chan was four years old at the time.

I remember it so well. December sixth, it snowed heavily that day. Midori spent most of the day playing outside or watching the flakes from the window.

"Daddy, look!" she kept saying. I couldn't help but smile.

"Yes, honey," I said. "That's snow." Michiko watched on with a smile as well. At six in the evening, something changed in Midori's tone.

"Daddy, look!" she said. I walked over to the window.

"What is it, sweetie?" I asked as I looked out with her. I noticed a figure staggering towards the house. I almost jumped back, startled.

"Honey!" I yelled. "Get here, we have somebody coming toward the house!" My wife raced over to my side and looked out the window.

"Oh my lord!" she gasped. Michiko and I rushed to the door. I put on my coat and raced outside. The figure in question turned out to be an injured man, coming closer and closer. He looked like he had been shot several times.

"Hey!" I yelled. "Are you okay?" The mad didn't respond; he just kept walking.

"Are you lost?" I asked. He still didn't respond. I didn't even think he heard me. I walked over to the man. I hadn't even gotten within inches of him when he collapsed at my feet. I managed to catch him just in time.

"Whoa! Don't fall over on me!" He didn't respond. I shook him.

"Hey," I said. "Are you dead? Hey! Hey!" I checked for a pulse.

"Is he dead?" Michiko asked. I looked up and shook my head.

"No," I said. "But he's really hurt! Help me get him inside!"

"Right!" my wife replied. She pulled Midori inside with her, got her coat, and hurried outside to me. She came on the other side of the man.

"Got him?" I asked.

"Yeah," Michiko said.

"Okay, when I say three, lift," I said. "One, two, three!" It took some work, but we managed to lift the man to his feet and drag him into the house. Midori watched us from the window.

"What's wrong, daddy?" she asked.

"It's okay, sweetheart," I said. "Just go back to bed." The little girl went back into the house.

"Are we almost there?" Michiko asked me. "My shoulders are about to give!"

"Almost there," I replied. I reached out to the door and helped Michiko pull the man inside.

"Just set him down on the couch," I said. I happened to look out of the corner of my eye and saw that my wife had paused in shock.

"What's wrong, dear?"

"Look," she gasped.

"An army uniform?" I asked. I looked closer. "A Russian uniform!" I turned to Michiko.

"Michiko, He's from the Russian army!" My wife gave me a puzzled look.

"The Russian army?" she asked. "What's he doing in Japan?" I shrugged.

"No idea," I said. "We'll have to ask him when he wakes up. Just help me treat his wounds."

"Right." My wife rushed down the hall to the bathroom. I turned back to the injured soldier. Where did you come from and why are you here?

I looked up when I heard footsteps behind me. Michiko stood in the hallway with bandages and a first aid kit in her hand.

"This all I could find," she said.

"That's good enough." My wife hurried next to me as I unbuttoned the soldier's jacket. We took turns bandaging up the man.

"His wounds look pretty bad," Michiko said. "You think we should take him to a hospital instead?"

"Do you think we can?" I asked.

"What do you mean?"

"The storm's gotten worse," I said. "There is no way to drive him to the hospital safely. We would get lost and he would probably die by the time we got there. I think we should wait until the storm dies down some."

"And we'll treat him to the best that we can for the time being?" she asked.

"Exactly," I replied. I bandaged him up the best that I could. When Michiko went to check on Midori-chan, I looked around quickly. When I was sure that she was out of the room, I placed my hand over the worst wound on his abdomen and chest and closed my eyes. His wounds slowly closed, healing. When I finished, I sat back and exhaled. That did it.

Michiko and I took turns monitoring him through the night. We sat over the couch, watching him sleep.

"Think he'll tell us what he was doing here?" my wife asked.

"I have no idea," I replied.

"But aren't you curious?" I shrugged.

"Maybe," I said. She pouted.

"Maybe?" my wife asked. "Come on!"

"What?"

"Don't you want to know about him?" Michiko pushed. "I bet he's a spy. Or maybe he's a fugitive from a prison in Russia. Or he could be a POW from World War II." I chuckled at my wife's imagination.

"What?" she asked. I turned to her with a smile on my face. I ran my finger down her cheek.

"You are too precious," I said. Michiko smiled back.

"But, don't you want to know?"

"He'll tell us if he wants to," I said calmly. My wife gave me a little pout.

"Aww, you're no fun," she whined.

"I'm just saying."

We stayed quiet for a long moment. I choked back a laugh. "A spy, huh?" I murmured. Michiko shrugged.

"It's possible."

"Mommy!" we heard Midori-chan call from her room. I looked at my wife.

"You're needed," I whispered.

Michiko rose to her feet and turned to walk down the hall.

"Tell me what he says when he wakes up," she told me. I smiled and shook my head.  
"Yes, yes," I said. "Just go to Midori-chan." I sat back, smiling.  _Oh my dear Michiko_ , I thought. I turned back to our guest. A spy, huh? I couldn't help but chuckle at such a notion. Nah, there's probably a simple explanation for this man.

Suddenly, a low groan drew my attention back down to our guest. His body's twitched a little bit. He's waking up, I thought. I watched intently and waited. He drew open his eyes and saw me. I gave him a wave.

"Hi there," I said softly. "Can you understand Japanese?" The man squinted at me with an understandable look of confusion. Hm, I guess it's safe to assume that he doesn't understand what I'm saying. Maybe I should try another language.

"Can you speak English?" I asked in English this time. The man still looked rather lost. I was beginning to think that the answer was no.

"Can you speak English?" I asked again much slower. The man stared at me at first. But then, he slowly nodded. I began to feel a little relief. Good, we're getting somewhere. The soldier tried to lift his head and look around, but I gently pushed him back down.

"Don't get up," I told him. "You're still recovering from your wounds." The soldier laid back down.

"Where am I?" he asked in English. His accent was so thick that I almost couldn't understand him.

"I'm sorry?"

"Where is this place?" he asked. I blinked before I got what he was asking me.

"Oh, this is my house," I answered. The soldier looked at me.

"Who are you?" he asked. I gave him a kind smile.

"My name is Kato Iwao."

"I-wa-o…" he said slowly. I nodded.

"Yes. What is your name?"

"Yuri, Yuri Bure," he whispered.

"Okay," I said. "Where did you come from, Yuri?" He shook his head.

"What happened to you?" I asked. He shook his head again. I closed my mouth before I could ask another question. Okay, maybe it's too early to ask him these questions. I'll just ask him something simple and then shut up for the night.

"Just let me ask you this before I a let you rest," I said. "Are you hurting anywhere?" The soldier shook his head. I began to feel relieved now.

"That's good," I said. I rose up to my feet and leaned in close to his ear. "I'm going to bed now. I'll back to check on you in the morning, okay?" Yuri tried to speak, but I shushed him.

"That's okay," I whispered. "Good night." I shut off the light and headed down the hall for the night. At three in the morning, I got out of bed and walked down to the living room.

"Psst, are you asleep, Yuri?" I asked. I reached out to turn on the lights.

"What makes the soul of a man?" I heard someone ask. I paused and let my eyes search the darkness.

"Hello? Yuri?" I noticed a pair of amber eyes looking right at me in the dark.

"What makes the soul of a man?" he asked again. I slowly walked towards him.

"I don't know," I said. "Why?"

"I believe I'm going to Hell," Yuri said.

I blinked at those eyes. "Why?"

"I killed somebody," he mumbled.

"It's understandable. You're a soldier in the war," I reasoned.

"But, I still killed somebody," he insisted.

"Who?"

Yuri shook his head. "I don't even know his name. I took him away from his wife and his family."

"That is how war is sometimes. I don't agree with it either. WWII ruined the father of a couple of girls I used to know," I said.

"Did he die?" Yuri asked.

"No. Are you familiar with PTSD?"

"Post-traumatic stress disorder?"

"Yeah," I said. "That's what their father had we he became a POW."

"That's even worse," Yuri said.

I nodded. "He now has to live with the ghosts of his dead comrades in his head forever." I paused. "Where exactly did you come from, anyway?"

"I came from a base in Tokyo," he answered.

"How did you get all the way out here to Kobe?"

"I hitchhiked my way across the country. It wasn't really a well thought out plan, though. I managed to get here with what little money that I had. I sold almost everything I owned and here I am," he said.

"I can see that," I replied.

"You're a priest, aren't you?" he asked.

"Why yes I am. How did you know?"

Yuri shrugged. "You just had an energy around you."

"I see. What happened to you?"

"What do you mean?" Yuri asked.

"Why were you shot like that when we found you?" I asked him.

Yuri stayed quiet for a long moment. He lowered his head in shame. "I want to die."

My jaw dropped. "What did you say?!"

"I can't live with myself anymore." His hands trembled in his lap as he cuddled them up into fists. "I'm a Roman Catholic, so suicide is a sin in my religion. It is a wrath against yourself in the eyes of God," he explained in a low voice.

I gave him an odd look. "I've never heard of that one before."

"I feel sick," he said. "I feel sick with myself. I was drafted into the Russian army and forced to kill many for pointless wars." He shook his head. "I just wanted to die. As I was hitchhiking across Kobe, I met with two thugs. They tried to rob me. I saw in that moment my chance. So…" Yuri explained.

I shook my head at him. "No. You didn't."

Yuri nodded. "Yeah. I asked them to kill me. They resisted at first. But, I managed to persuade them to try. And…"

"Yuri!" I gasped.

"I know it was stupid. I just wasn't thinking straight. I just wanted to die at that moment," he said.

"And what about now?"

"I don't know. I just don't know."

I reached out to touch him at first, but then I paused. My hand lowered down to his and stroked it like I was comforting my Midori-chan.

Suddenly, the lights flipped on. Yuri and I quickly looked up. Michiko and Midori stood in the hallway doorway looking at us. My daughter was still half-asleep. My wife gave us a strange look.

"Iwao-kun, what are you doing up so early?" Michiko asked. She looked and saw Yuri looking at her.

"Oh," she said. "You're awake. How are your injuries?"

"Good," Yuri said calmly. I smiled proudly.

"Yuri, this is my lovely wife, Michiko," I said to him in English. "She helped me carry you into our house and bandage you up." Then, I switched to Japanese for my wife.

"Michiko, this is our soldier friend, Yuri Bure," I said. My wife gave the old soldier a polite smile.

"Nice to meet you," she said in her best English. Yuri slowly smiled.

"Yeah," he said with a little nod. He took one look at Midori-chan. My little angel blinked at him silently. "That's a cute little malchik that you have," Yuri said. My wife and I looked at him confused.

"Huh?" I asked.

"My apologizes," he said, "I was saying that you have a handsome little man there." He motioned over at Midori-chan. My wife tried to keep calm enough to talk.

"She's a little girl," she corrected him.

"Oh…" he mumbled, embarrassed. Looking back, I can see how anyone could make that mistake. Our Midori-chan did look like a little boy then. Her hair was cut short. We tried to make her look more feminine with Western play dresses and girl-style kimonos and yukatas. Most of the time, it worked. But other times, she looked like a little boy in a dress. However, that wasn't on my mind at that particular moment. I clapped my hands together.

"Okay!" I said. "I don't think weren't going back to bed. Anyone hungry?"

By seven in the morning, the snow storm had died down and the sun was out. Yuri put on his coat and prepared to head out the door.

"You're leaving us?" Michiko asked.

"Uh-huh," the Russian soldier said as he put his boots on.

"But, you're still injured," my wife said. "Let us at least take you to the hospital!"

"I'll be fine," Yuri insisted.

"But where will you go?" she asked. "Are you staying anywhere at the moment?"

"No."

"But, what will you do? Where are you going to go?"

"I'll manage." Yuri started to open the door when I pushed it closed again. The soldier looked over at me. I shook my head.

"At least let us take you to the hospital," I said. "You still need someone to look at your wounds." Yuri blinked.

"But…" he started to stay. I held up my hand to him.

"I won't hear it," I said. "We're taking you to the hospital right now. After that, you can do whatever you like." Yuri looked at me and then at Michiko. Her pleading eyes told him the same thing. Then, the soldier looked at me and dropped his shoulders.

"Fine," he mumbled. "I'll go." I gave him a little smile.

"Wise choice," I said. Michiko, Midori-chan, and I drove our new friend to the hospital. I talked to the staff about setting him up in a settler for the time being until he got better. It took some work, but we managed to work something out in the end.

I will never forget that man if I tried. The word "malchik" has stayed in my mind ever since. I ended up nicknaming Kimoto Anna that, years later.


	36. Icicles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Midori falls ill and dies slowly for a year and a half.

Icicles

By 1975, my world began to fall apart. Not in one swipe, mind you. I lost my family piece by piece. First, I lost my Midori-chan.

It all started with a cough. We couldn't figure out what was wrong with her. It was the middle of summer and we lived in the heavier part of Kobe, but she kept coughing.

"What's the matter, baby?" Michiko asked her one afternoon. "Are you sick, honey?" She put her hand to her forehead. Midori shook her head.

"I'm okay," she said. That wasn't enough to ease our concern. The next morning, we took Midori-chan to the doctor. They couldn't find anything wrong with her.

"She's a healthy little girl," they told us.

"Then why does she keep coughing like this?" Michiko asked.

"Maybe it's allergies," the doctors said. Instinct told us otherwise, deep in our gut. Michiko and I decided to monitor our daughter for ourselves.

Two weeks later, our fears were confirmed. Midori-chan's health started to get worse and worse. She used to be a happy, upbeat; an energetic child. But lately, she had changed. Midori-chan was tired all the time. Her body temperature shot up to almost 100. Her vision became blurry.

"My head hurts," Midori-chan whimpered to us many times. Things got worse when she couldn't walk straight anymore. The many trips to the doctor didn't help either. They couldn't figure out what was wrong with her. Pretty soon, things took a darker turn when Michiko was taking her to another visit to the doctor. Midori-chan hadn't even gotten to the door when she collapsed to the ground.

"Midori-chan!" Michiko cried, reaching for Midori-chan. Our little angel ended up in the hospital for the rest of her short life.

Yet, I wasn't going to give up on her so easily. One night when I visited her in the hospital, I took a quick look around. I drew in a deep breath.

_Here goes_ , I thought. I held my hand over her small chest and began to chant. Usually, I would feel a warmth, of the person getting better. But this time…

I paused in surprise.  _Why isn't this working?_  I drew in another breath and tried harder.

_Nothing is happening._  I kept trying. Yet no matter how hard I wished it to be, nothing happened. I finally stopped due to exhaustion. I looked down at my little girl. I saw my daughter was in the same condition before me as previously. I couldn't understand it. Why weren't my powers working to save her? Why weren't they working when I needed them the most? Another terrifying thought then crossed my mind.

_What if I'm losing my powers? What if I'm finally being punished for healing that sparrow that Juriko killed years ago?_  My eyes trailed down to my precious little angel. My hand tightly wrapped around hers.

"I'm so sorry, baby," I whispered. "I have failed you. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." I broke down into tears by at her bedside. Her health kept getting worse and worse as the days wore on. The doctors even suspected that she wouldn't make it. My wife and I didn't want to believe it, but that reality grew painfully strong as 1975 passed into 1976. Michiko and I ended up celebrating Midori-chan's seventh birthday in the hospital.

"Hey sweetie," I whispered to her. "Happy birthday. We brought Momo with us." I handed her the little doll. Midori-chan loved Momo to death. I bought this little doll for her on her third birthday. This doll was a beauty. She wore a little purple and gold fan kimono with black geta, white tabi, and purple and gold hairclips in her long black hair. I moved Momo closer to Midori-chan's face.

"Hi Midori," I said in the high-pitched girly voice that my daughter loved so much. "I miss you at home. I'm so lonely without you. I can't wait for you to get better so that we can play together again." I made the doll give her a little kiss on the cheek. I noticed Midori-chan try to give me a little smile. Oh, let me tell you: that really made my day for the first time in months! I leaned in close to my angel's little ear. "I'll leave Momo here with you, okay?" I whispered. I set the doll down next to her and moved aside to let Michiko see her.

"Hey baby," she whispered. "Happy birthday. I bought you present." My wife reached into a big pink and yellow gift bag and picked out a fluffy teddy bear.

"Happy birthday," Michiko whispered. She set the teddy bear next to Momo on the bed. My wife kissed her on the forehead. I did the same thing. The hospital let us stay through the night. You know, I had originally planned to take Midori-chan to the zoo for her birthday that year. Maybe see the aquarium afterwards. That plan went down the drain.

Michiko and I spent the last few days of Midori-chan's life in the hospital. Then on the day after my birthday, the gods took her away from us.

_September 15th, 1976._

The funeral went on until sundown. My little Midori-chan looked like a sleeping doll in her casket. We dressed her in a white gown with no shoes. I bought that for her the day before she went to the hospital. It was such a shame that this was going to be the only time she would get to wear it. Her hair was all the way down to back. Michiko put little red flower clips in our angel's bangs to complete the look. We put Momo in her tiny hands to give her a little company on her journey to Meifu. I wanted to put Michiko-chan's bear in with her, but I changed my mind at the last minute and hid it away in our attic.

Seven years old, so young that it caused the whole village pain. Everyone that knew us poured their hearts out to us. Midori-chan's classmates all cried during the funeral. Michiko and I sat away from the crowd near the back. I couldn't bring myself to perform the ceremony no matter how much I wanted to. I have performed funerals for years, but I just couldn't do this one. It was just too much. I broke down crying in the end. So, Michiko and I sat silently, unable to deal with our misery. Michiko's eyes looked worn out with all the tears that had been shed for the past couple of days. I felt like collapsing from trying to keep it together on the outside for so long. It's so painful when it's your child. It drains it all out of you in the end.

They cremated her at night. Michiko and I watched on, helpless. The golden yellow flames feasted on our small child and her doll. I knew it would be heart-breaking for any child who has passed. But, it really hurt worse when it was my own. My pain didn't stop there. That was only half of the loss I would come to suffer that year.


	37. Thunderstorm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Six months later, Michiko falls ill and follows Midori in death.

Thunderstorm

Six months later, Michiko followed our daughter. It struck us without warning. I spotted it when she started coughing, just as Midori had. Fear ate up my soul when I first heard her. The whole ordeal with Midori-chan began to flash before me.  _Please don't let it be what I think it is. Please don't let it be what I think it is. Please don't let it be what I think it is! No!_  I tried to make myself stay calm as I asked her important questions.

"Michiko," I said. "Are you feeling…?" She shook her head.

"No," she said. I tried to breathe out in relief. But then, she paused. "I don't think so…" she said. I froze and quickly grabbed her shoulders.

"What do you mean?" I asked desperately. "Think really hard." Michiko tried to stay positive.

"It's probably not that," she said.

"You don't know that!" I cried. "Look at what happened to Midori-chan all because we didn't catch it in time!" She gently stroked my cheek.

"Iwao-kun," she whispered. "I know you are scared. We just don't have any of the facts yet. We'll have to wait and see what it is first." I shook my head at her hard.

"No!" I cried.

"Iwao-kun?" she asked. I quickly grabbed her by the arms.

"No!" I yelled again. "I don't want to lose you! I don't want you to die!" My wife gently shushed me. I closed my mouth and looked at her with big eyes. Michiko gave me a tiny smile.

"It'll be okay."

"No, it won't!"

"Yes, it will!" she argued.

I closed my mouth. The only time she fights me this hard is when she has a strong counter-argument against me. I waited for her to come out and say it.

"How?" I challenged.

"We don't know what is in store for us. We don't know if I could actually die. We don't know anything," she reasoned.

"So, what are you saying?" I asked.

"I'm saying don't give up hope yet. We can try and beat this thing."

"And how do we do that?"

Michiko nuzzled her nose close to mine. "By any way possible." I tried to make myself smile just to humor her. I still had my own pain and doubts beating around in the back of my mind. I knew this was all just an act to make stop worrying so much about her. But, I already saw the fear and despair in her eyes before she even started to lie.

Pretty soon, the same illness that claimed Midori-chan began to surface within my wife. She ended up in the hospital just like our daughter did. This go around, I was hesitant to try out my skills. Many thoughts raced through my mind as I watched her lie there helplessly in her bed.  _What if they won't work on her just like they didn't on Midori-chan?_  I stared at my hands as they shook before my eyes. I almost didn't want to do it. But, I didn't want to lose Michiko too. Death already took my daughter; I didn't want it to take my wife as well. Besides, she was sound asleep before me. I drew in a heavy breath, taking a quick look around to make sure I was alone. When it was clear, I took in another breath.

_Here goes_ , I thought. I held my hand over her chest and began to chant. Just like with Midori-chan, I felt nothing. My heart pounded again my own chest.  _No! Not again! I can't lose someone close to me! Don't fail me now!_  I desperately kept trying to heal my dear wife. I kept trying until everything just gave out within me. I sat there with nothing left inside of me. This was the priest that saved his community from dying and yet he couldn't save his own family?  _Is this Buddha's punishment for playing God?_  I collapsed on top of my wife in bed. She had lost her will to live and I lost my faith all in one go.

In six months' time, Michiko joined Midori-chan in Meifu. They both left me in my growing misery. Michiko lay in her casket looking just as beautiful as on our wedding day in her bridal kimono and accessories. I didn't stay for the whole funeral. I practically avoided everyone in the village afterwards. It proved too much for me. I had nothing without Michiko and Midori-chan in my life. My whole world had been robbed from me within a year. I resigned as a priest and cut all ties with our friends. I put the house up for sale and quietly moved away during the night. I haven't been fine ever since.


	38. Raccoon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How Kato meets Kyoko and the rest of the villagers in his new home.

Raccoon

_February 21st, 1977._

I thought I was going to be all alone after the deaths of Midori-chan and Michiko, but then I found some new allies. Or rather, they found me.

Her name was Iijiri Kyoko. She was a bizarre and energetic woman. She reminded me of a younger Michiko. There was always light in Kyoko's eyes. Her voice always seemed to be laughing at life itself. The laugh lines added to her strong sense of happiness, always floating around her. She latched onto people without even trying. I met her when she knocked on my door early that morning of February 21st, 1977. I had just moved into the village after my wife's death. At the time, I kept to myself. I just wanted to be left alone in my misery after losing my wife and daughter. Too bad Kyoko didn't see it that way at the time.

They pounded on the door hard.

"Leave me alone!" I yelled from inside. Kyoko did the opposite, knocking on the door harder. I kept trying to ignore them at first.  _Maybe they'll go away after a while._  Slowly, she kept knocking on my door. I gritted my teeth and rolled my eyes.

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" I said at last, clenching my fists. I pushed the door wide open. A tiny woman stood before me with a huge smile on her face. I looked her up and down. She looked about my age. Her deep, royal blue hair was wound in two tight braids. Her brown and red hand-knit shawl was wrapped tight around her thin body. The western-style clothes she wore looked odd on her. I thought she would've looked better in a kimono. This woman looked so tiny to me. I blinked, thinking that I saw Michiko standing before me. I looked at her funny.

"What do you want?" I asked. The woman grinned.

"Hi…" I mumbled. I looked at her, trying to figure her out. What did she want with me? What was she doing here on my doorstep and why wouldn't she go away?

"Can I help you?" I asked. My neighbor smiled, still gripping her shawl tighter around her body to block out the winter breeze.

"Just saying hi!" she chirped. I didn't seem to believe her. Something told me she wasn't going to leave right away.

"Why?" I asked.  
"May I come in?" the woman asked. I raised an eyebrow.

"Why?" I asked again. The woman didn't answer. She just pushed past me and let herself in. I was appalled.

"Oh, come right on in, why don't you?" I mumbled sarcastically under my breath. I slid the door shut.

The woman walked around the house, looking as if she were in an art museum. I watched her and followed close behind.

_Feel free to leave now_ , I thought over and over again. Then, Kyoko turned around with a puzzled look on her face. I stared at her as I tried to fake at least a hint of kindness. "What?" I asked. Kyoko shook her head.

"You have no pictures," she pointed out. I narrowed my eyes.

"So?"

"That's so sad!" she announced with a high-pitched tone. I thought she had lost her mind. I didn't know how much longer I could take of her upbeat mood. I began digging in my mind for an excuse to get her out of my house.

"And?" I pushed. The woman shrugged.

"Don't you have any family?" she asked. Oh, she really pushed me over the edge with that question. She really hit a nerve there with me. I glared.

"They're dead!" I hissed. The glow in her face began to die away and she lowered her head.

"I'm so sorry…" she mumbled. I said nothing, leaning against the wall. I was tired from the grief and feeling helpless. I couldn't take it anymore. The woman must have seen the sorrow in my eyes when I leaned against the wall. Though I couldn't see it at the time, I really needed someone. So, Kyoko leaned against the wall next to me in silence. I didn't look up at her. Yet, I knew I had a new ally—somehow.

"What is your name?" she asked.

"Kato Iwao."

"Ah. My name's Iijiri Kyoko. I live down the street."

"This is a nice village. Nobody bothers you here. Not many find this place too easily. Did you just wander here?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Ah. We barely get anybody young here," Kyoko said.

"You don't?" I asked, puzzled.

"No. There is my daughter and Jamie's son. Tohma's boy is already in college and engaged," she explained.

"Jamie?"

"She's another lady in this neighborhood. She's half-American," Kyoko replied.

"Oh. How old is your daughter?"

"Twelve." Then, Kyoko paused for a moment. "Tell me, would it be too early to wonder if she's gay or not?"

I gave her a strange look. "Huh?"

Kyoko shrugged at me as she shook her head. "I don't know. She never seems to have any interest in boys."

"I wouldn't know."

"Alright. Sorry for asking."

_December 27th, 1977._

I sat in my living room looking at Midori-chan's old hand-made Christmas cards. Each one had cute little kitty cats with Santa hats on. Pigs were for my birthday. That was all she could draw. Still, those cats and pigs became my joy. Looking at those cards only made my heart hurt around this time.

My thoughts were interrupted by footsteps. I looked up and saw Kyoko coming from the kitchen with a tray of tea.

"You looked like you needed it," she said. I stayed silent; waving the tray over to the table. My friend set it down as I moved my cards.

"Cute cards," Kyoko spoke up.

"Yeah," I mumbled. The woman poured me some tea.

"Riku made me a Christmas card this year," she said.

"Ah."

"Funny," she said. "Eleven months and I don't know you." I glanced at her.

"What is that supposed to mean?" I asked. She shrugged.

"You haven't told me about your home or family," she answered. I said nothing. Kyoko pressed her lips together as she picked up her cup.

"Midori-chan," I finally said. Kyoko glanced up at me.

"Hm?"

"My daughter's name was Midori-chan," I said softly.

"What was she like?" I lowered the four Christmas cards in front of her.

"You have to promise me," I began.

"Promise you what?" I looked at her with desperate eyes. I leaned across the table.

"Stay by me no matter what," I pleaded. "Promise me that!" Kyoko gave me a sharp nod.

I took a moment to tell her my story.

"I used to be a priest in another village. However back in '59, I met a young woman named Hino Michiko," I said. Kyoko looked at me with big eyes.

"Hino?" she asked. "You mean the sake brewers?" I nodded.

"Yeah," I said. "I originally intended to stay chaste for the rest of my life, but being young and naïve then, I fell in love with her. Michiko-chan was a bright and beautiful sweetheart. Very rich too, she came from a wealthy high-class family. I didn't care about any of that. I loved Michiko for who she was. There was a problem, however. I tried to keep my vow of chastity, but that soon became close to impossible.

"I turned my boss at the time for help. He told me to act on my feelings in a pure way. He suggested to take it slow. I wasn't sure at first. In the end, I asked Michiko out on a date. She said yes. From there, we became a couple.

"Four years later, Michiko and I were married. We were a happy couple. Yet, Michiko kept having the feeling that we were missing something. She didn't know what it was for years. So one day, I wished that the answer would find her. Then in summer of '68, Michiko started feeling sick. I thought my wife had come down with a stomach virus. Turns out, Michiko was pregnant. She had finally gotten her answer. On February second '69, our little angel, Midori-chan, was born. Her mother and I loved her so much. You could say that we were the ideal family. But then, it all broke into pieces.

"A month after her sixth birthday, Midori-chan fell ill. At first, it was minor with a little cough. But then it got worse and worse. The doctors couldn't help her. Michiko and I didn't know what to do. All we could do was watch our daughter's life slip away. On September twelfth, Midori-chan died. She died the day after my birthday. I couldn't even do the funeral ceremony; another priest had to take my place. Then a month later, Michiko became ill as well. It started with the cough and got worse and she ended up in the hospital just like our daughter. Six months later, she passed. It was as if after Midori-chan died, my wife had lost the will to live."

I felt drained of everything that I had left within me. But, I still went on as I had to do so.

"I have great healing powers," I said. "How ironic! A man with great healing powers and I couldn't even save my own family from illness! After that, I lost interest in life. I quit being a priest after Michiko's death and have kept to myself ever since." Kyoko reached out and touched my hand.

"It's okay," she whispered. I tried my best to smile at her.

"I'm sorry I brought you down."

"That's okay," my friend insisted.

"Promise me that'll you help me on my mission."

Kyoko blinked. "What mission?"

"I want to help someone in any way to make up for not being able to save my family. And I need all of the help I can get."

"Say no more. You always have people that will have your back no matter what."

I really began to smile for the first time since coming upon this hidden village. Within in a year, I had come to befriend Kyoko, Jamie, Tohma, Yuji, Miyuki, Hitomi, and Kenji. They all became my team for my mission that would occur six years later.


	39. Owl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harada-sama pays Kato a visit in the village years later.

Owl

_February 18th, 1982._

I had lived in the village outside of Kobe for five years now. The people didn't ask any questions when I first came there. They welcomed me with open arms. I found that quite strange.

_These people are nice_ , I thought.  _Too nice._  That could prove to be there Achilles' Heel later on. Still, it was quiet; and that was all I needed.

I had just gotten up in the morning when there was a knock on the door. I looked up, confused.

_Huh? Who the hell is that?_  I walked over to the door and slid it open. An old Shinto priest stood on the porch. He had on robes and everything. I recognized him right away.

"Harada-sama," I breathed. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you," my former boss said, calmly. I gave him a confused look, blinking at him.

"Why?" Harada didn't answer at first.

"May I come in?" he asked. I looked stoic. Something told me that question had only one answer to it. I dropped my shoulders and sighed.

"Fine," I said. "Come in!" Harada-sama smiled at me modestly.

"Thank you, Iwao-san," he said. The old priest went inside. I felt uncomfortable as he slid the door shut behind us.

Harada-sama sat at the dining table with steaming tea in front of him. I sat across him and hunched my shoulders.

"What do you want, Harada-sama?" The old priest didn't flinch.

"Come back home, Iwao," he pleaded.

"No! I can't go back!" We both knew why. Harada-sama looked on sympathetically.

"Iwao-san," he said. "You can't keep blaming yourself for their deaths. It wasn't your fault!" I shook my head.

"I could have saved them!" I said. "I had the power to do it." Harada-sama looked at me oddly.

"What do you mean?" I became nervous. Should I confess my talent to my former mentor and break my own personal promise that I made years ago in my youth? I loosened my fists. Might as well… I lowered my head close to Harada.

"Have you ever wondered why all of our sick and dying got better so quickly?" I whispered.

"The spirits healed them," he reasoned. I shook my head.

"No," I insisted. "I healed them." Harada-sama didn't believe me at first.

"What are you talking about?" he demanded. I felt my stomach drop. I knew this would happen. I would have to show him. I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"You remember when you got that burn on your hand eight years ago?" I asked quietly.

"Yes," my former mentor answered. I hesitated and froze.

"Show me your hand," I whispered. Harada-sama did so slowly. His hand was right in front of me. I took in a deep breath, held out my own hand and shut my eyes. I chanted under my breath. Instantly, I felt the burn scar disappearing. I opened my eyes to see his face. Harada looked surprised, staring. I nodded.

"Yes," I confirmed. "I am a healer. Midori and Michiko's illnesses rejected my powers. As a result, they died and I couldn't save them. My hope for redemption is to save another… someday…" Harada-sama watched on, touched.

"So what will you do now?" he asked. I clenched my fists.

"I plan to help others until I die," I said. "I don't know how I'll do it, but I have to try. Then and only then will I be able to redeem myself for their deaths." Harada-sama gave me a warm smile.

"I wish you luck for it," he said. I bowed.

"I thank you." I had no idea how soon I would be able to fulfill my promise. Also, it would be the first time in years that I would encounter the Eda-Kimoto clan since Juriko's death.


	40. Beetle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kato meets Daisuke and baby Anna for the first time.

Beetle

On March 11th, 1983, I got a chance to act on the promise I made.

I found myself awoken in the middle of the night by someone knocking on the front door. I walked over to the door, mumbling in aggravation.

"Hold your damn horses!" I yelled. "I'm coming! I'm coming!" slid the front door open. An eighteen-year-old boy stood in the rain looking in. He looked like a high school senior student. His black-brown hair had been neatly cut. The boy still had on his school uniform. In his arms, he held what looked like a little ten-day old baby. The boy kept his coat over her just to keep her dry. I looked at him with tired eyes.

"What do you want?" I half-mumbled to the boy.

"Please sir!" the early-bird guest pleaded. "My daughter and I need a place to stay for the night! Can you put us up?" I stared blankly at the boy, then to the baby. She looked so little and cute with her pink cheeks. The baby slept peacefully, wrapped up in her little yellow blanket. Just seeing her stirred something in my frozen heart.

_Midori-chan…_

The boy became desperate. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a fist-full of yen.

"Here," he said. "I've got the money!" I looked on silently and kept my eyes on the baby. I felt great pity for her. I held up my hand up to the boy.

"Keep your money," I said. "You can stay as long as you want." The young man looked at me with big, happy eyes. He bowed.

"Thank you, sir!" the boy said. I moved aside and let him into my house.

_March 12th, 1983._

I showed this young man around my quiet village the next morning. The eighteen-year-old held his eleven-day old daughter close to his chest the whole time as the baby slept on. I had many questions about my new guest. What's a high school boy doing here with a baby? He seemed like a teenage runaway. I wanted to ask, but decided not to.

_He'll talk when he's ready._  The boy and his baby stayed silent the whole time. He observed everything. At the end of the tour, we came back to my house. I turned to the boy.

"So," I started. "What do you think?" The boy thought for a moment.

"No one comes looking for anyone here?" he asked.

"Nope," I answered. "The police don't even bother us here." The boy raised an eyebrow at me.

"So you house criminals here?" he asked.

"No, no," I said. "Rarely any persons your age or younger come here."

"Why is that?" the boy asked, holding his daughter closer to him.

"Hard to find. Only when found by chance do we old timers get any young people here," I said, to try and ease his mind. This boy nodded some.

"And this is all on consummated ground?"

"Yes, the main priest has blessed this village himself," I summed up. The boy began to smile.

"Great," he said. "We'll stay." Oh, you have no idea how happy that made me.

Owari


End file.
